It is important that citizens have positive thoughts on the power of the vote to change things. Lack of legitimacy can be especially dangerous in a region where coups and coup attempts are notunusual in recent history.
Mechanisms of Direct Democracy (MDDs), i.e. plebiscites, referendums and citizen-initiate votes, have the majority of citizens’ approval. If participation in MDDs is mainly considered a good thing after their occurrence, as in the countries under analysis here, it is a sign that people appreciated the opportunity of having more access to the political decisions, and they may feel a growth in their influence on what government does.