Entscheidungsfindung und Einfluss bei Fridays for Future – Zur Rolle von Basisdemokratie, Hierarchien und Expertise

The focus of the article is the internal decision-making processes at Fridays for Future: How are decisions made in the decentral organized Movement and what are the most influential factors in that regard? This is in contrast to the majority of studies that have predominantly looked into the genesis, mobilization and framing aspects of the Movement. Based on a multi-method design (i.e. observations, interviews, online survey), the findings are threefold. First, particularly at federal level decision-making processes are characterized by balancing between grassroots democracy on the one hand and the need for efficiency on the other. Second, there are elements of informal hierarchy at different levels of the Movement. Members evaluate those hierarchies both positively and negatively. Third, the more experience, competence, and networks members have the stronger their leverage is on decisions. The results hold two implications with regard to further research in Social Movement Theory. On the one hand, the analysis shows that Fridays for Future is still capable of making decisions and mobilizing its members—even after three years since it was founded and regardless of the autonomy of its more than 500 local groups. This demonstrates its range of impact as well as striking resilience compared to other contemporary Social Movements. On the other hand, the findings reveal some discontent among locally based members with regard to power asymmetries related to decisions made on federal level. The data presented in this article is based on a citizen science project that brought activists and scholars together. The cooperation facilitated the exclusive access to the internal decision-making processes at Fridays for Future.