BELGIUM - In a time of growing polarization, geo-political instability and a reduced confidence in institutions, there are people who want real change. Bottom-up seems to be a major shift in the political landscape. Citizens solve problems without waiting for decision-making. This can be the start of a new power structure and will thoroughly change our policy.
There is a chance that more and more people will enjoy a transition that is supported by citizens. We are already seeing (for example around the closure of the Antwerp Ring) that this can have a major impact on laws and projects, which will ultimately have a huge impact on the political landscape. For example, the "Political Renewal" parliamentary working group is currently studying a proposal to welcome citizens with legislative proposals.
We want to know whether the citizen initiatives will become a valuable and sustainable player in our Belgian landscape, or is bottom-up also "pop-up"? Will we see more and more of these transition initiatives in the coming years or will they encounter half and full failures too often? Can the initiators in our reports also convince other citizens that they can take matters into their own hands?
ONLINE
- Mo.be - dossier Changez (2018) (in Dutch)
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