Today in Italy representative democracy is declining and participatory democracy is on the increase. I see many signs that indicate a citizenry that wants to live in a new Europe, brought about by a cultural, political, and social revolution, which will also, I hope, be spiritual, and which will occur peacefully and with a full realization of its import. Of course, this revolution is already well on its way in the new media. Newspapers and television are disappearing, and the Web is becoming the place to be. Those who live in the West no longer want to be excluded from decisions that impact their lives and are pushing to have their say through referendums and online voting. Certainly, the transition from a representative to a participatory democracy isn’t easy, but in this time of global economic crisis and the breakdown of political structures that have dominated us for years, it needs to be carefully and consciously worked through to a deeply and mutually satisfying solution.