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Switzerland is a direct democracy.

• brazzy 13y ago
  No. It's a federal parliamentary republic (just like the USA), but allows citizen-initiated referendums to challenge all laws passed by the parliament, or even to change the constitution.
  • pbhjpbhj 13y ago
    >allows citizen-initiated referendums to challenge all laws passed by the parliament, or even to change the constitution // Wouldn't you say that fits within the term "direct democracy"?
    • brazzy 13y ago
      No, but it's probably as close as you can practically come at scale. A real direct democracy would have all relevant decisions made by citizens collectively, not just potentially challenged.
      • pbhjpbhj 13y ago
        It's possible for the citizenry to alter any decision directly without recourse to elections. That's why I'd say it is a form of direct democracy.