Mid Sweden University

Every fourth year swedish electors cast their ballots appointing councils in cities and municipalities. Members of the City Council acts on basis of this mandate. Consultative referendums are a direct democratic instrument with a purpose to revitalize the local democracy. There are rules in Swedish law to facilitate local referendums. There are also debates occurring about them. Are referendums suitable as a complementary instrument to the electoral democracy? Or, are they signs when the different principles of electoral and direct democracy collide?

This study examines this complementary factor structurated by three perspectives: the efficiency of referendums, democratic legitimacy (based on the turnout) and democratic accountability.

Based on a theory section two case studies of referendums have been conducted in the municipalities of Värmdö and Malung-Sälen (Ripfjället). A survey and in-depth interview has been implemented in cooperation with four local representatives in each municipality.

Some of the conclusions: The politicians in the study have a critical attitude to referendums based on the experience that they reduce their electoral mandate. Representatives of the movements who demanded the referendums points out that they are legitimate based on the necessity to achieve a proper democratic debate on the factual issues.