Die Demokratie ist los!

Europe is in a crisis. On the right fringes of the political landscape, ever-louder anti-European, anti-Islamic and nationalist voices can be heard. These are mingled with the praises of a country that has supposedly done everything right: Switzerland, and its direct democracy. Yet in Switzerland, this direct democracy has reached its boundaries. Called for by the Swiss electorate, such constitutional amendments as the anti-minaret or deportation initiatives contravene the basic principles of internationally recognized human rights conventions. This film explores the call for direct democracy in the neighboring countries of Austria, Germany and France, contrary to the experiences of our country regarding the limitations of such a political system.