Lately, the municipal level of government has seen much experimentation with new forms of democracy and democratic decision-making. These experiments aim to revitalize local democracy by engaging... Show moreLately, the municipal level of government has seen much experimentation with new forms of democracy and democratic decision-making. These experiments aim to revitalize local democracy by engaging citizens more directly in the preparation, decision-making and execution of municipal policy.These experiments raise certain legal questions because local democracy is not just a matter of political culture, but of rules and regulations too. There are laws which stipulate which powers local authorities may exercise, how they may exercise these and how they ought to relate to each other. The question is what room this legal framework offers for all sorts of local democratic innovations that aim to enhance the institutionalized local democracy.This question is answered in this thesis with the help of four case studies. The cases and their design are tested for their compatibility with relevant laws and regulations and with the principles that form the foundation of the institutionalized local democracy. Show less
