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Facts & Figures

Citizen participation in numbers

How widespread is participation across the DACH region — and how many really take part? The key figures for Germany, Austria and Switzerland, each with its source.

Participation is in demand as never before — and at the same time runs into an old limit: classic in-person formats often reach only a small minority. The figures below show both, and make clear why low-barrier, digital participation matters more and more.

DE
~11,000
municipalities exist in Germany — yet only a few hundred have ever run a participatory budget, and far fewer do so continuously.
Stiftung Mitarbeit
DE
max. 2%
of citizens took part in classic participatory budgets even in smaller municipalities — a strong argument for low-barrier, digital formats.
Stiftung Mitarbeit
DE
51
citizens’ assemblies took place in Germany in 2024 — a record year. In the 2010s there were only about six per year.
Mehr Demokratie e.V.
DE
39
of the 51 citizens’ assemblies in 2024 were at municipal level. Top topics: climate, transport and urban planning.
Mehr Demokratie e.V.
CH
1,650+
Swiss municipalities decide by town assembly rather than a parliament — nearly half of all eligible voters live in one.
SWI swissinfo.ch
CH
~5%
of eligible voters regularly attend a town assembly — here too, in-person formats alone reach only a few.
SWI swissinfo.ch
AT
100,000
signatures a citizens’ initiative (Volksbegehren) must reach in Austria to be dealt with in parliament — signable in any municipality or online.
Parlament Österreich

Figures per the sources cited (as of 2024/2025). Numbers can change — please verify at the source.

What the numbers show

Two developments at once: demand for participation is growing — the number of citizens’ assemblies has multiplied, and according to studies by the Bertelsmann Stiftung a large majority wants more say. At the same time, classic formats reach only a few. Low-barrier, digital participation closes this gap.

  • Demand is rising: more citizens’ assemblies, more desire to participate
  • Classic in-person formats reach only a small minority
  • Digital participation lowers the barrier — anytime, on any device
  • Transparency and feedback keep people engaged
Get startedCitizen Participation Guide

Sources

  1. Stiftung Mitarbeit – Review of participatory budgets in Germany
  2. Mehr Demokratie e.V. – Citizens’ assemblies: 2024 review
  3. SWI swissinfo.ch – Town assemblies in Switzerland
  4. Parlament Österreich – Volksbegehren (citizens’ initiative)
  5. Bertelsmann Stiftung – Participation in transition

You might also like

Citizen Participation Guide →Guide →For Municipalities & Cities →Glossary: Participation & Idea Management →

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