Publication details
Explaining Turnout in Local Referenda in the Czech Republic: Does a NIMBY Question Enhance Citizen Engagement?
| Authors | |
|---|---|
| Year of publication | 2016 |
| Type | Article in Periodical |
| Magazine / Source | East European Politics |
| MU Faculty or unit | |
| Citation | |
| Web | http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/21599165.2016.1183486 |
| Doi | http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21599165.2016.1183486 |
| Field | Political sciences |
| Keywords | local referendum; direct democracy; voter turnout; Czech Republic; NIMBY phenomenon |
| Description | During the past decade, holding local referenda in the Czech Republic has become more frequent. Due to current regulations, however, the direct voice of people cannot be always heard; it largely depends on the number of citizens who express their preferences. The aim of this article is to show how to achieve higher turnout in local referenda such that they become binding on politicians. It hypothesises that the questions on NIMBY (“not-in-my-backyard”) issues should considerably stimulate people's political engagement. This supposition is examined through the empirical analysis of 258 local referenda held between 2004 and 2014 in the Czech Republic. |