Participation is vital for democracy, not only in the form of casting a vote but also beyond that. Citizens' active contribution in the decision-making process is what "rule by the people" entails, an indispensible asset that ensures the democratic nature of a system (Lijphart 1999: 2). The way participation is realized, however, can take on many different forms. The Swiss political system offers citizens far-reaching options and instruments to participate in the political decision-making process. They cannot only cast votes in national, cantonal, and local elections, but they can also make use of referendums and initiatives on all three political levels.