Prof. Dr. Frank Bätge is professor at the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration North Rhine-Westphalia. He is also a lecturer at the German University of Admini-
strative Sciences in Speyer and at the NRW School of Governance at the University of Duisburg-Essen. Prior to his appointment as professor, he held a leading position in local government.

His research interests lie in the field of municipal law and the law of political participation in the form of elections, decisions by citizens and informal forms of participation. In this context, he is particularly interested in legal questions of online participation and e-demcracy. He was consulted by parliaments as an expert. Prof. Dr. Bätge has written various publications and reports on these fields. He is editor of the journal named municipal electoral practice and the scientific publication series named Special Administrative Law.