Petitions and citizens’ initiatives (CIs) are the most prevalent participation tools offered by parliaments. They provide a formal mechanism for citizens to raise issues directly to decision-makers in parliament and government and they can enhance participation in democracy. 

This Guide provides an overview of the wide range of systems that exist across parliaments and identifies key questions to help parliaments consider which type of system best suits their context.

We review the purpose of petitions and CI systems, their benefits and challenges, the type of impact they can have on citizens and parliamentary decisions. This Guide is therefore for parliamentary officials and Members of Parliament (MPs) who want to understand how to improve or implement a petitions or CI system in their own context. 

This publication was produced with the financial support of the European Union as part of the Inter Pares I Parliaments in Partnership project, implemented by International IDEA. Its contents are the sole responsibility of International IDEA and the International Parliament Engagement Network (IPEN) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union. 

Explore the full suite of Citizen Engagement Guides for actionable tips and inspiration to strengthen your parliament's engagement with the public on the Inter Pares page. Click for more information.