The central focus of legal research at the ZDA is the law of direct democracy at federal, cantonal and municipal level. In addition to relevant dissertations, this is reflected in publications such as the standard work ‘Die demokratischen Rechte in Bund und Kantonen der Schweizerischen Eidgenossenschaft’ (Democratic Rights in the Confederation and Cantons of the Swiss Confederation) and the online commentary on the Federal Act on Political Rights.
Developments that require further research include the scope for parliamentary counter-proposals to popular initiatives, shortcomings in the implementation of popular initiatives, and the legal uncertainties surrounding the subjection of expenditure to the financial referendum. There is great potential for legal research into innovative formats that complement direct democratic instruments in the form of popular councils combined with selection by lottery.