Depolarizing democracy: the transformative effect of Citizens' Initiative Review

This study explores the impact of the Citizens' Initiative Review (CIR) on depolarization during the 2023 Swiss climate transition referendum. Previous research has demonstrated CIR's effectiveness in enhancing individual knowledge and trust. However, its potential influence on collective attitudes towards political propaganda is yet to be investigated. Our hypothesis asserts that the equitable and impartial statements of the CIR have a significant effect on shaping the collective understanding of political narratives. To examine this, we apply a participant-centered polarization index, which analyzes the distributional effects of respondents' considerations of statements used in the referendum's political propaganda. This approach aims to determine whether exposure to CIR leads to broader collective depolarization. We propose that CIR's impartial and balanced statements could significantly alter collective perceptions of political narratives, promoting a more integrated and nuanced comprehension of complex political issues among voters.