The second in a new series of Guides on Citizen Engagement for Parliaments was published on 15 July.
Petitions and citizens’ initiatives (CIs) are the most prevalent participation tools offered by parliaments. They provide a formal mechanism for citizens to raise issues directly to decision-makers in parliament and government and they can enhance participation in democracy.
This new Guide to Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives provides an overview of the wide range of systems that exist across parliaments and identifies key questions to help parliaments consider which type of system best suits their context.
We review the purpose of petitions and CI systems, their benefits and challenges, the type of impact they can have on citizens and parliamentary decisions.
This Guide is therefore for parliamentary officials and Members of Parliament (MPs) who want to understand how to improve or implement a petitions or citizens’ initiatives system in their own context.
Read the Guide on Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives.
About the series
Published on 15 July 2025, the Guide on Petitions and Citizens’ Initiatives is the second in a new eight part series focusing on a range of public engagement topics to help build parliaments’ capacity to engage members of the public in their work.
The series is being created through a project collaboration between the International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) and INTER PARES. They are produced with the financial support of the European Union as part of the iNTER PARES I Parliaments in Partnership project, implemented by International IDEA.
The Guides have been developed by Cristina Leston-Bandeira (Professor of Politics at the University of Leeds and Chair of IPEN) and Juliet Ollard, (Senior Research and Engagement Officer, IPEN) in partnership with INTER PARES.
The project team have drawn from extensive academic research and parliamentary practice from across the world – including many interviews with parliamentary officials and academics, and the expert advice of our International Advisory Group and the IPEN Executive Team.
A further six Guides will be published over the coming months.
Image created by Research Retold