- Criticizes the Changes, Argues for More Democracy by More Democracy Association in Response to Public Petitions
According to the evaluation of the organization "More Participation", over 10% of citizen initiatives in Hesse may not exist in the future. The state parliamentary leader Matthias Klarebach expressed his concerns in Wiesbaden, stating, "The proposed changes to citizen initiatives and referendums in Hesse signify a substantial setback for citizen participation rights." He criticized, "The state administration is moving in the wrong direction with this reform."
The coalition agreement of the current black-red state administration, in office since January 2024, stipulates in regard to direct democratic processes at the municipal level, "For instance, we plan to amend the Hessian Municipal Law (HGO) to guarantee that citizen initiatives do not delay the execution of crucial infrastructure projects."
As per the association "Democracy", direct democratic processes on matters such as "planning approvals, administrative hearings with public input, or waste, emission, water, or related permit procedures" will be disallowed in the future in Hesse.
No more citizen initiatives for bypass roads?
Following Klarebach's statement, this may render citizen initiatives for bypass roads impractical: "These decisions have far-reaching and long-term effects." He maintained that citizen initiatives serve as a legally secure means to swiftly resolve local disputes and establish planning certainty. "Eliminating mediation paths does not prevent conflicts," he concluded.
The national director of "More Participation", Alexander Trennheuser, remarked on the potential limitation of citizen initiatives, "This sends the wrong message, particularly at a time when democracy and its institutions are challenged by many. Instead of raising hurdles, the proper approach would be to lower them."
The proposed changes in Hesse might lead to challenges for The European Parliament in engaging with local citizen initiatives, as they often provide valuable input on EU-level policies with significant local impact.
Given the proposed amendments to the Hessian Municipal Law (HGO), which could potentially limit citizen initiatives, it's crucial for The European Parliament to advocate for safeguarding these rights to ensure effective representation of citizen interests at both local and supra-national levels.
