Democratic innovation On 25 June 2026, in a hall in Esch-sur-Alzette, forty residents formally handed over their recommendations to the City. After three months of work, from March to June, the Citizens' Assembly of Esch had fulfilled its mandate. What members experienced between those two dates says a great deal about what deliberative democracy can produce, provided it is built properly, investing expertise, time, and resources into it. A letter that changes meaning Ania st

Gathered in Podgorica on June 19 and 20 for what was originally intended to be two full days of training, the facilitators devoted the first day to preliminary discussions. June 20 then saw an intensive day of practical training led by our facilitator’s expert Hannah Vanbelle and hosted by CEDEM. The goal: to equip participants for the European Parliament’s upcoming Citizens' Forums in Albania and North Macedonia.

Six sessions. That’s how long it took to complete Brussels’ 7th Deliberative Commission, which focused on cleanliness and waste management in the capital. Following the information and deliberation sessions covered in our previous article, here is an account of the final two stages: the vote on the recommendations, followed by their official submission. The moment when collective work meets institutional reality.

You have heard the term before. Maybe in the news, maybe in a report, maybe from a colleague. “Citizens’ assembly”. It sounds serious. Perhaps a little abstract. But what actually happens inside one? Who takes part? And why does it matter? This article breaks it down, no jargon, no prior knowledge required.

Three sessions down. Two to go. Brussels’ 7th deliberative committee, the first ever to tackle the issue of cleanliness and waste management in the capital, is now well into its process. After an information session and two full days of discussion, the picture is becoming clearer: not just on the substance, but on what it actually looks and feels like when citizens and parliamentarians sit down together to build something. Here is what has been happening inside the rooms.

Design What do the residents of Esch want for the future of their city? This is the central question of the Esch-sur-Alzette Citizens’ Assembly , a first-of-its-kind project at the municipal level in Luxembourg. Faced with declining trust in institutions and a growing sense of alienation from decision-making, this project offers a different approach: listening seriously to residents and giving them the tools and legitimacy to influence decisions affecting their city . In Es

Op-ed A tight budget, and two neighboring regions with radically opposing visions of democracy. One enshrines citizens’ assemblies and their regulations in law, ensuring they continue even as the political majority changes. The other removes their legal safeguards. This is more than a technical decision; this signals a tragic political direction. A subtle, yet real, step backward On March 10, the Walloon Parliament’s Energy Committee met to discuss amendments to the “carbon n

The Innovating Democracy Advisory Group (IDAG) has published its progress report. This report provides a clear assessment of Welsh democracy and a roadmap for necessary changes. We have analyzed it, and here is our perspective.