Conceptions of democracy and democratic praxis are increasingly contingent on our conceptions about what digital media technologies afford us in terms of direct political participation and decision-making. Web applications afford the participation of every citizen in all political discussions and decisions that they would like to take part in, even in big democracies. Along the example of liquid democracy online participation software that realizes various hybrid forms of direct and representative e-democracy, I want to illustrate how the potentialities of digital media technologies induce direct and more radical democratic elements into contemporary democracies, therefore constructing more radical democratic imaginaries. Most notably online participation software is implemented by participatory parties emerging in Europe (Pirate Party in Germany, 5 Stelle in Italy and Podemos in Spain) that claim to seize the new possibilities of digital media technologies to “liquefy” traditional power and decision-making centers, digitally enabling citizens becoming active decision-makers in Parliament.
