The REDIRECT project, funded by the European Union, focuses on addressing the challenges associated with the current transformation of democratic politics in Europe. This transformation is characterized by a crisis of representation, including declining trust in institutions and political representatives, political individualism, mass-elite imbalance, and social and social-media discontent. This multidimensional phenomenon, known as “representative disconnect”, refers to the regression of the connection between the demos (people) and kratos (power).
The project takes an interdisciplinary and multi-level approach, examining various empirical dimensions of representative disconnect. By studying the shifting centers of gravity within democratic polities in Europe, REDIRECT aims to enhance our understanding of this phenomenon. The project seeks to extract sustainable ideas and viable instruments to address the challenges of a democracy in flux. It emphasizes the importance of analyzing institutional, behavioral, and affective components of representative democracy.
REDIRECT also conducts a critical review of the theoretical reflection on representative democracy while offering practical recommendations. These recommendations aim to rectify the issues identified and promote a two-way approach to the demos-kratos relationship. The project suggests top-down interventions, such as institutional reforms that ensure transparency and provide citizens with comprehensive information. It also emphasizes the need for bottom-up initiatives, such as strengthening the connection between citizens and mediating bodies through digitalization, promoting shared values of social sustainability, and fostering civic education.
The ultimate goal of the REDIRECT project is to contribute to the formulation of strategies for improving the democratic process by addressing the challenges of representative disconnect and promoting a stronger connection between citizens and their representatives.