I. General considerations on citizen participation
Citizen indifference, rejection of politics and mistrust of the ruling class, seem to be, unfortunately, generalized characteristics of contemporary democracies. For this reason, the representative system, originally conceived as a possible substitute for direct democracy, has ended in its practical application by separating the representatives from the represented. The latter is a strange paradox, in which the representative system has become an enemy of the democratic system. Democracy is, by definition, a participatory system, and can include both the political aspect of human activity and also extend to the economic and social aspects. Participation is additionally an important component of human development, because it allows the self-realization of the abilities, vocations and aptitudes of each person.
