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Direct democracy is a system where citizens have direct participation in making decisions and shaping legislation, rather than relying on elected representatives to make those choices for them.
The choice that is not a method of direct democracy is the use of elected representatives. In representative democracy, citizens elect individuals to make decisions and represent their interests in a legislative body; this is fundamentally different from direct democracy, where the emphasis is on direct engagement and decision-making by the populace.
In contrast, public assemblies, referendums, and citizen-initiated proposals are all methods that strengthen direct citizen involvement in the political process. Public assemblies allow for discussion and collective decision-making among citizens. Referendums enable citizens to vote directly on specific issues or policies. Citizen-initiated proposals empower individuals to bring legislative measures directly to a vote, requiring direct action from the public rather than a representative. Thus, the first option represents a departure from direct democratic principles, making it the correct answer.