ABSTRACT
This chapter investigates the key role of elected politicians in the evolution of E-Democracy. It presents a theoretical framework for explaining politicians’ use of online tools for communication with citizens. This framework includes such factors as politicians’ role perceptions, their views on democracy and citizenship, personal dispositions and competences in using online tools and political system factors. In their daily work, politicians face various challenges and dilemmas. In addition to ambiguities and signs of reluctance and resistance, experiences also show potentially important positive changes.
