Democratic innovation always sparks a lot of debate in the Netherlands. In this essay, Frank Hendriks addresses three common reservations about democratic innovation in the Netherlands - (i) 'Things aren't that bad, are they?'; (ii) 'renewal can also bring destruction'; (iii) 'this always backfires' - when discussing three key

What if referendums do not only concern a determined proposal but initiators get the space to contribute alternatives? What if voters can give input on more concrete proposals while maintaining numeric and accessible advantages of referendums? And how can citizens' assemblies play a role in formulating referendum alternatives? Charlotte

Critics say referendums would encourage uninformed dissent and political gridlock. In what ways might adding deliberation to a referendum process address such criticisms? REDRESS-researchers Frank Hendriks and Charlotte Wagenaar examined three specific models in which a citizen forum strengthens the referendum process by preparing a proposal, informing voters or