``It's a challenge to Tokushima City's democratic process.'' Citizens question Naito municipal administration one after another.

　In response to the submission of a lawsuit by Tokushima City to the former mayor Akiyoshi Endo seeking compensation for damages of approximately 460 million yen at the December regular meeting of the city council, An online civic meeting to think about democracy was held on the 13th to discuss issues. The event was planned by Minoru Murakami, 55, a former city councilor who was involved in the city's referendum on the plan to build a movable weir on the Yoshino River. Seikei University professor Shinichiro Takeda (administrative law), who supported the referendum movement for the first ten weirs when he was an assistant professor at Tokushima University, participated as a guest and exchanged opinions with 25 citizens. Many participants expressed doubts about Sawako Naito's municipal administration, and discussions were held on measures to realize politics that better reflects the will of the people.

　Tokushima City requested Mr. Endo for the settlement money paid to the redevelopment association regarding its withdrawal from the Shinmachi West District redevelopment project. Endo refused to pay, saying, "The city should pay for it." In response to this, Mayor Naito submitted a proposal to file a lawsuit seeking damages against Mr. Endo at a regular meeting of the city council in December.

■ "It's a challenge to Tokushima's democratic process." . In a democracy, policy changes became a point of contention in the election, and changing policies based on the results of the election was said to be an "extremely normal procedure". That's the process of democracy," he said. He also said, "I am terrified that the government, which should protect the livelihoods of citizens, has sent a huge bill to a single citizen."

　Professor Takeda referred to Article 1, Paragraph 1 of the National Compensation Act and Supreme Court precedent (April 19, 1955), emphasizing that "an individual civil servant cannot be held responsible for compensation". He severely criticized the act of presenting bills to the mayor who changed policies in response to public opinion, saying, "It is a challenge to the democratic process of Tokushima City."

Payment slip sent by Mayor Naito to Mr. Endo

　Participants expressed concerns that ``politics are not being viewed from the perspective of the citizens'' and doubts about public funds being used to cover lawsuit costs if the bill is passed. presented.

　Prefectural Councilor Atsushi Fukawa and Professor Kazuhiko Aiba of Tokushima University (political science) also participated in the meeting. A representative of the Fucheon prefectural assembly said, ``In a dual-representative local assembly, the original way is for the assembly members to take an oppositional stance against the mayor. They are competing for each other. If we continue to do things like this, we will not have a healthy parliament." Professor Aiba, a former reporter for a national newspaper, looked back on the Naito municipal government, saying, ``There was an excessive backlash against the press, and I could see an attitude of trying to control the relationship with the kisha club.'' It is thin and has many problems from the standpoint of democracy."

■ Complementing indirect democracy with direct democracy　Discussions were also exchanged on measures to bring the ordinance of the permanent referendum closer to politics that reflects the will of the people. A citizen who was involved in the tenth weir referendum suggested, "We should create more opportunities for ordinary citizens to express themselves as 'this is a bit strange.'" Some said, ``It is important to send letters to politicians or visit their offices to convey to voters that they are watching.''

　Professor Takeda said, ``If you win an election, it will be an indulgence, and there are politicians who behave as if they can do anything. will cease to be a democratic state," he said. On top of that, he said, ``Citizens can't just vote in elections and leave it to the chiefs and legislators. Pointed out the need to supplement. He said, "One powerful way to do that is a referendum," and said it was important to enact an ordinance for a permanent referendum. Looking back on the 10th weir referendum, he said, "Tokushima citizens have a passionate power to cherish democracy. I want them to show that in various places."

　The City Council Construction Committee, which was entrusted with reviewing the bill, rejected the bill on the 10th. The bill will be voted on at the city council plenary session on the 16th. The opinions expressed by the participants of the citizen meeting will be summarized in a statement and submitted to chairman Takeshi Inoue and the mayor by the 16th.