In light of the Swiss experience with intensive direct democratic participation (referendum and initative), this article examines how democracy and evaluations help facilitate negotiation, encourage empowerment and improve citizens' information. Improved democratic participation diminishes the need for 'fourth-generation evaluations' aimed at facilitating negotiation and for 'empowerment evaluations', but is unable to replace them fully. Evaluations thus prove to be a useful complement; but their face changes as they become more closely embedded in the political process. Windows of opportunity are created for disseminating results; at the same time, extreme tension may arise over evaluation results.