The pure form of direct democracy exists only in the Swiss cantons of Appenzell Innerrhoden and Glarus. Switzerland is a rare example of a country with instruments of direct democracy (at the levels of the municipalities, cantons, and federal state). However, other countries practice direct democracy in the form of plebiscites, town meetings and other minor means of direct participation. The European Union is turning into a parliamentarian democracy at the continental level and allows citizens to to promote parliamentary initiatives through the European Citizens' Initiative, introduced with the Treaty of Lisbon in 2007. Taiwan is leading this trend with greater vigour since hosting the 2019 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy.
Celebrating modern direct democracy with a Taiwanese character
A special democracy train, signature gatherers in Buddhist temples, nationwide 
marches for better legislation: a look back at the participatory celebration that was the 2019 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy.
Oct. 7.– Monday morning, 9:35am. Taipei Main Station, track 3B. Over 300 passengers are boarding the eight-car narrow-gauge special headed south to the port city of Kaohsiung.
“This is the nation’s very first democracy train,” explains Transport Minister Lin Chia-Lung (of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party) in a smooth departure ceremony to welcome participants to the 2019 Global Forum on Modern Direct Democracy: a week of events, visits, and conversations around the question of “how can we transform people power movements on the street into well-designed institutionalized participatory and direct democracies?”
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in East Asia’s new Referendum law, less than two years old, is considered a global model for initiative and referendum. But how is it working in practice? What are the lessons of the first years of modern direct democracy in the new powerhouse of citizens participation? What is happening across East and South Asia and the West Pacific? 
Congreso del partido