Způsoby participace osob na místní samosprávě

JUDr. Mgr. Filip Rigel, Ph.D.

Doctoral thesis

Means of Local Self-government Participation

Abstract:

Název práce odhaluje její dvě fundamentální těžiště – místní referendum a volby do zastupitelstev obcí. Předmět práce tím ovšem není vyčerpán; oba pilíře, na nichž je práce vystavěna, jsou totiž podepřeny též dalšími způsoby, kterak lze na místní samosprávě participovat, byť jde o nástroje méně využívané a spíše jen doplňkové. Těmi jsou myšleny především způsoby participace, které vymezuje zákon o obcích zejména ve svém § 16 odst. 2. Práce ověřuje dvě hypotézy. První hypotézou je tvrzení, že lidnatost obce, kde se participace odehrává, je zásadním faktorem ovlivňujícím výši účasti při participačních technikách. Z toho vyplývají související výzkumné otázky, zda zákonodárce tuto poučku, kterou se v práci podařilo ověřit, respektoval. Práce dochází k závěru, že právní úprava v tomto ohledu stojí jen v půli cesty. Druhou hypotézou je to, že judikatura v oblasti participačních technik není jednotná. Tuto hypotézu se plně podařilo ověřit ve vztahu k místnímu referendu, méně již ve vztahu k volbám. Související výzkumné otázky se soustředí na to, jakými prostředky lze judikaturu sjednotit.

Abstract:

The dissertation deals with the local participation of the inhabitants. Participation in this work means fundamental form of representative democracy at local level – so called local board elections – and both the most widespread and the most important form of direct democracy in the Czech Republic – local referendum. Some other pillars of direct democracy and public participation are mentioned as well. Wherever direct democracy exists, it has not replaced representative democracy but has complemented the work of elected body and political parties. Clear direct democracy is dangerous and undesirable. Nevertheless, it is obvious that instruments of direct democracy are important elements of the democratic supervision. The principal method of direct democracy is a referendum. It is a direct vote in which an entire electorate is asked to either accept or reject a particular proposal. Czech law permits referendums only at the level of communities and regions, not at the national level. Local referendum is held on local issues related to the conduct of policy in a municipality. Issues, such as the municipal budget, local duties, election and recall of the mayor and other members of local elected body, issues treated by special processes, structure of the municipal office, contracts governed by public law cannot be addressed by referendum. The decision of the referendum is valid if, at least, one half of the persons with right to vote cast a ballot. The high turnout quorum means that local referendums are often declared invalid, which indeed tends to weaken citizens´ motivation to participate in political life of the municipality. There are two ways how to hold local referendum in the Czech Republic – from bellow and from above. Firstly, local referendum can be compelled if the required number of signatures (depended on the number of inhabitants of the municipality) is collected by so called preparatory committee. Secondly, local board by itself can initiate local referendum if absolute majority of all its members decides so. Local elections are the major form of representative democracy at the municipal level. The right to vote is reserved for citizens aged 18 or older, whose permanent place of residence is in the community, where the elections are held. EU-citizens are also allowed to take part. Elections are held each four years. These elections are except Senate elections the only ones that allow the candidacy of the independents. In the event that problems should arise, judicial review of local referendum and local elections is guaranteed by the Code of Administrative Justice. In relevant matters administrative courts are competent to hear disputes relating to correctness of the proposal to hold local referendum, validity of ballot, electoral register, registration of candidates and validity of the decision accepted in local referendum. It is required to decide within strict time limits. The bodies competent to hear the petitions mentioned above are the regional courts (a cassation complaint in matters of a local referendum and elections is inadmissible). The dissertation has two basic hypotheses. The first of them says that the most important factor of the participation is a number of inhabitants in a municipality. This hypothesis was verified by a data collected in the paper. The experience shows that, the bigger municipality, the lower participation (and vice versa). This applies to all above-mentioned forms of the participation (R. Dahl said: “Size matters.”). The legislator unfortunately did not take into account this empirical evidence. The problem is the high referendum turnout quorum that is unified for all communities in the Czech Republic regardless of their size and number of inhabitants. Another obstacle of the participation creates number of signatures required for candidacy of the so called independent candidates and their associations. The author focuses on the problem of election formula and electio

Abstract:

n system generally. The most controversial point of this system is a more difficult possibility of the independent candidates to get a mandate or even to run for the office in the biggest cities. The second hypothesis relates to the judicial activity of the regional courts in participation matters. The dissertation verified that the various courts consider the similar (or even the same) things in different ways. This is especially true for a referendum, not so much for the municipal elections. With regard to the fact that the decision-making activity of regional courts was not unified by other possible means, the author presents its opinion that the cassation complaint in referendum matters is necessary.

Keywords

Volby do zastupitelstev obcí, místní referendum, místní samospráva, demokratická participace, Local Elections, Local Referendum, Local Self-government, Democratic Participation.

Language used: Czech

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 9. 9. 2011

Thesis defence

• Date of defence: 19. 12. 2011
• Supervisor: JUDr. Stanislav Kadečka, Ph.D.
• Reader: prof. JUDr. Petr Průcha, CSc., JUDr. Josef Vedral, PhD.

Masaryk University

Faculty of Law

Doctoral programme / field:
Theoretical Legal Sciences (4-years) / Administrative Law