Code Orange is a new political movement in the Netherlands, aiming to evolve the state of our democracy. The name Code Orange has two meanings.
First: when heavy weather is predicted and storms are coming, our weatherbroadcast speaks of Code Orange (the next phase is Code Red). With that association in mind we speak of Code Orange in our political system. More and more people decide not to vote at all, vote out of protest or do not vote wholeheartedly. Our analysis: the political system does not fit anymore with the mindset of our citizens. Years of education and emancipation, but also the transition into an age of information, asks for evolving forms of democracy.
Co-Democracy
This brings us to the second meaning of Code Orange. Code stands for Co-democracy: the democracy of coöperation and cocreation. New forms of on- and offline consultation, citizins assemblees and (p)referenda are knocking on our door to enrich the traditional representative democratic practices.
Code Orange points out these new democratic forms, which give our citizins the possibility to have more influence on their surroundings and on government policies than ‘one vote in four years’. In our modern society a representative vote for a political party is not enough. Citizins want more influence than that. The political systeem needs to be completed; needs te evolve. That is the plea of Code Orange.
People initiatives
In many city’s in our country, and in neighbouring countries as well, local initiatives and local government are succesfully experimenting with these new and transparant democratic forms. People initiatives are popping up more and more. The amount of cities organising citizins assemblees grow every day.
Code Orange strives to lift this movement up to the regional, national en European schale. Therefore people in the Netherlands now can vote for a movement that wants to increase their power and influence. At the last elections one out of houndred voters made this choice! Perhaps this is an idea for your country (or city) as well?
