There is much to complain about when it comes to the state of democracy at large, and the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI) in particular.

According to the most recent ‘World Democracy Report’ presented by ‘Varieties of Democracy’ on 7 March, the percentage of humans living in democracies has declined to where we stood almost 40 years ago. And while this year, more people across the world than ever are eligible to vote in elections, a large number of countries hosting those elections are becoming more autocratic.

Complaints were also heard at the first ever Civil Society Week held by the European Economic and Social Committee in early March. These complaints concerned the European Citizens' Initiative, the first cross-border direct democratic tool in the world. “Too complicated”, “too unattractive,” “there is little trust,” “inefficient” and “little known” were just a few of the less than flattering reviews given by stakeholders from civil society, the media, academia and administration of the ECI.

I found these very critical assessments to be discouragingly correct - but also too cautious and moderate in their critique. Democracy deserves world domination. To achieve that, we, as citizens and eligible voters on this planet right now, are obliged to reach for more than what we currently have. 

This means doing more than playing defence against fear, today’s dictators and their cowardly cliques. We need to take much bigger steps forward. The further development of the European Citizens’ Initiative would be such a step.

Because what do we have here in the ECI? Three things. A right, an instrument and a tool that has never existed at any other time in history or in any other place in the world. It is complex and comprehensively designed, digital, directly democratic, transnational, has a supportive infrastructure and is well-used. 

Since 2012, the ECI has been created, introduced, practiced and improved, making it living proof that the democratic space can be expanded and consolidated even under the most difficult circumstances.

Next year, at the tender age of 13, the pampered child will hopefully become a stubborn teenager who can show Europe and the world what it is capable of. And we need this fresh, wild strength to decisively revitalize the encrusted mentalities of the nation states and the bureaucratized structures of the European Union. 

Let’s be clear - we do not need the constant and restless reinvention of democratic forms of living together, which often go by the name of innovation. Instead, we need to devote ourselves to the ECI, to make sure it comes of age at 16, or at the very least 18, at the end of this decade.  

What does this mean? By 2028 or 2030, two important changes need to happen. First, the agenda-setting powers of the ECI need to be made equal with those of the European Parliament. In other words, Europeans should be able to propose legislation and other government actions just as elected members of the European Parliament can.

Second, EU citizens should, by the end of this decade, be able to initiate not just legislation, but Europe-wide popular votes on substantive issues - often simply called referendums. The pan-European referendum is not a new idea, but it is an idea whose time is now ripe, thanks to the birth and early life of the ECI.

If this sort of future can be constructed around the ECI, people will look back at this tool, and at this time, as the one which produced one of the most amazing democratic achievements since the breakthrough for universal and equal suffrage in the 20th century.