ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that all citizens enjoy a right to democracy that is reflected in international instruments such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. According to the author, this right to democracy is not limited to representation and participation in governance at the level of the nation-states and expands to global institutions. Based on this analysis, the article explores a democratic deficit at the United Nations (UN) as a central platform and actor of global governance. It is pointed out that the UN is an intergovernmental organization whose bodies by definition are made up of representatives of the executive branches of member states. In principle, access to agenda-setting, deliberation, and decision-making is limited to them. The chapter presents complementary institutional proposals that are put forward to increase access of citizens beyond indirect means through governments: A UN Parliamentary Assembly as a permanent body bringing together elected representatives and a UN World Citizens Initiative as an instrument that allows citizens to put items on the agenda of the UN. While the former addresses a need for better representation, the latter is a mechanism of participatory democracy. The chapter also touches briefly on the idea of Global Citizens’ Assemblies in the deliberative realm.
