Christodoulides outlines initiatives to give citizens a greater say in policy

Nicosia, Cyprus. President Nikos Christodoulides told the Cyprus Forum on Tuesday that initiatives introduced by his government aim to give people a greater voice in policy decisions and strengthen participatory democracy.

Legislative and electoral measures

Christodoulides said the “citizens legislative initiative” allows people to propose policies by collecting 5,000 signatures, which obliges either parliament or the government to take action on their request.

He also cited the automatic registration of citizens who reach the age of 17 on the electoral roll, allowing them to participate in elections.

Young people to present proposals

In addition to ministers’ direct contact with organised groups and the wider public, Christodoulides said a special meeting of the Council of Ministers would be held in the coming days. Young men and women will take the roles of ministers in his presence and present their suggestions and proposals.

The initiative, organised with the citizens’ commissioner, is intended to give young people an opportunity to submit proposals to the executive branch and contribute to public debate. Christodoulides said the government would evaluate the submissions and act accordingly.

Digital tools and accountability

The president also pointed to digital tools intended to involve citizens in decision-making: e-consultation for public consultations, citizen’s voice for advisory votes, EkfraCy for proposals from young people, and diakivernisi.gov.cy, where citizens can check the progress of government actions and policies at any time.

He said the government would set out what it intends to implement in the coming year, enabling citizens to check during the year and at its end whether it has fulfilled its promises.

Christodoulides said he was aware of the challenges facing democracy but did not believe it was in decline. “I believe that our democracy is being tested,” he said.