Participative and Deliberative Democracy facing Technology: A Study on Digital Democratic Innovations

Abstract

The paper analyses the efficacy of digital platforms for deliberative and participatory democracy in enhancing democracy. After examining the concepts of deliberative and participatory democracy (§IA), particularly their meaning from a legal standpoint and their relation to representative and direct democracy (§IB), the study introduces the broader concept of ‘digital democratic innovations’ (§IC) and adopts a classification framework (§II). Then, the current legal framework of e-participation in Italy, Germany, France, and the EU is analysed (§III). This comparative analysis sets the stage for a detailed examination of five digital platforms operating at both local and national levels, which serve as case studies. Through a systematic evaluation of the key features of these platforms, the paper classifies those platforms according to the classification framework (§IVA-E). It also assesses the quality of citizen participation facilitated by each digital democratic innovation exploring two indicators: the meaningfulness of participation and the extent of digital deliberation (§IVF). In drawing conclusions, the paper also suggests potential avenues for further legal research into digitised civic participation (§V).