Increased democratic participation thanks to digitalisation?

For this project, a research team from Année Politique Suisse at the University of Bern studied how the digital transformation could foster greater and more independent public engagement in political decision-making processes. The team created, tested and analysed two digital democratic innovation prototypes, which included new formats for online citizen participation.

In the first case study, 1,000 randomly selected voters from the municipality of Köniz in the canton of Bern completed a questionnaire for Smartvote regarding the local elections. In the second case study, an equally large sample of voters from German-speaking Switzerland wrote arguments for and against the Climate and Innovation Act in the run-up to the federal vote in June 2023.

Both case studies were conducted on the specially developed participation and discussion platform, ‘Demokratiefabrik’ (Democracy Factory). This platform was designed according to clear democratic principles and provided participants with a wide range of opportunities to engage. Participants could write their own opinions and comments, rate and edit the contributions of others, and, depending on the study, pose questions to Smartvote and suggest topics for a vote. Interacting with fellow participants was a key aspect of the process.

Recent extensive research has examined the negative effects of digitalisation on democracies, focusing on how digital communication channels reduce trust and mutual respect, as well as their role in the rise of populism. However, there is a lack of approaches investigating how digitalisation can be utilised to strengthen democracy. The researchers presented this perspective in the project by analysing two digital participation formats.

The research project explored if the two digital participation formats can meet stringent democratic theoretical standards regarding process, outcome and political legitimacy. It also assessed whether the public is adequately motivated to participate in such formats and what skills participants gain through their involvement in the project.

Well-designed digital participation formats could serve as a practical and profitable addition to traditional forms of political participation. Additionally, their ability to function independently of location opens up new avenues for wider and more vigorous public involvement. Ideally, these formats can attract demographic groups that typically engage less through conventional means, like voting.

With the ‘Democracy Factory’ platform, the research team was able to show that digital participation formats can be effective. The two case studies suggest that such formats generate interest among the public and have the potential to expand access to political participation. They can engage new target groups, including individuals with limited trust in political institutions, and help defuse social tensions. At the same time, the results clarify that digital formats do not inherently resolve existing challenges, such as participation inequalities. Three conclusions can be drawn: k.

Three key messages

1. Positive perception of digital democratic innovations:
   Digital democratic innovations such as the ‘Democracy Factory’ enjoy considerable approval among the public. Both the process itself and the results achieved are particularly valued. There is a significant interest in participating, i.e. participants engage voluntarily, and the process is generally viewed as fair, while the outcome is regarded as legitimate.
2. Contribution to overcoming social divisions:
   The research underscores a key benefit of digital democratic innovations, such as the Democracy Factory, as they can help bridge social divides and reduce polarisation. Following their involvement in the Democracy Factory, participants evaluated dissenting fellow citizens on climate protection measures more favourably compared to those in the control group who did not participate.
3. The findings on inclusion are ambivalent:
   Findings on participation patterns are mixed. On one hand, traditional participation inequalities persist, such as the low turnout among older women. Conversely, the results indicate that digital democratic innovations may effectively engage politically disenchanted citizens.

Digital Democratic Innovations to Empower Citizens in the Digital Age