Should it be concluded that the participation of citizens in local public life is going through a crisis and gradually losing its relevance in our global society? What should the reaction be to the negative trends detected? To reply to these questions, the CDLR, after having examined the changing background of civic participation, conducted a survey on the various types of participation through the exercise of voting rights, instrument of direct participation and the role of associations. A series of appendices outlines information supplied by twenty-five countries.