Over the last years we have witnessed a widespread dissatisfaction of European citizens with mainstream politics and members of the political establishment. The rise of extreme nationalistic parties, Brexit, record levels of electoral abstention and lack of trust towards institutions are only a few indicators of the political crisis that is facing the EU today.
The above phenomena to a large extent result from the fact that a large segment of the population feels like they are not part of the political process as voting once every 4-5 years is no longer a sufficient means of participation. Additionally inadequate levels of transparency and access to information in national and EU institutions play a significant role in the rise of mistrust. Finally lack of primary information and access to open data facilitate the proliferation of fake news which often feed populist rhetoric.
Can civic technology provide answers to the aforementioned problems? Are parliamentwatch – factchecking – access to information and votewatch platforms adequate tools towards restoring trust, political accountability and citizen engagement? These issues will be tackled during the Conference, and practical sessions will conducted through which citizens’ proposals will be submitted.
When: Saturday 21st October, 9:00 – 17:00
Where: University of Cyprus
Registrations HERE (Free Admission)
See the program HERE
More Info HERE