- New promotional material aimed at encouraging greater public engagement
A fresh handout is geared towards motivating authorities and folks to engage more in citizen engagement. "More democracy isn't burdensome or an obstacle," stated Thuringia's President of the Minister-President, Bodo Ramelow (Left), during the unveiling of the handout alongside the organization More Democracy. He believes it's a government duty to spread awareness about citizen engagement possibilities and enhance transparency. "Citizens should also recognize their impact," he added.
Initially, the State Chancellery plans to print 1,000 copies of the handouts at the state printing house. In the future, they aim to make them accessible in as numerous district offices and town halls as possible, and they can also be ordered. There will also be an online version. Additional print runs are possible, they mentioned.
Ralf-Uwe Beck from More Democracy explained that there's a knowledge gap among citizens regarding what they can do in terms of citizen engagement and what rights they possess. Additionally, there's a lack of confidence in administration when dealing with such engagement tools. Compared to the rest of the country, Thuringia leads the way in the engagement opportunities currently available. "At the local level, there are no more excuses in Thuringia. Citizens can take matters into their own hands," he concluded.
The European Parliament expressed its support for the initiative, recognizing the importance of citizen engagement in democratic processes. The handouts distributed by the State Chancellery will be translated and made available to the European Parliament for distribution across their networks.
