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Citizens assemblies in Montenegro -European Parliament

  • jonmoskovic
  • Dec 11, 2024
  • 1 min read

Updated: Dec 15, 2024

Design - Strategy - Training - Conference - Advocacy


The citizens' assemblies in Montenegro was part of a deliberative democracy initiative aimed at involving ordinary citizens in the decision-making process for the fight against corruption in the country. The assembly was organized as a mechanism for improving the democratic process by giving citizens a more direct role in shaping laws and policies.


Citizens assembly in Montenegro
Credit: Parlament Montenegro / I. Sljivancanin

This citizens' assembly, held in 2021 and 2022, was part of Montenegro’s broader efforts to modernize and democratize its political system. The idea behind the assembly was to create a more inclusive and participatory process for governance, allowing citizens to engage in a structured deliberation on key issues affecting the country's future.


Key aspects citizens' assembly of Montenegro

  1. Deliberative Process: Citizens were selected randomly to participate in discussions. The aim was to ensure diverse representation and bring together different perspectives from across society.

  2. Recommendations for Reform: The assembly’s role was to deliberate and issue recommendations for potential reforms, which would then be considered by the government and parliament.

  3. Strengthening Democracy: The assembly was seen as an effort to strengthen democratic practices by fostering citizen involvement, addressing public concerns, and enhancing transparency in decision-making.


In essence, the Montenegrin citizens' assembly was part of a broader trend of incorporating deliberative democracy models into decision-making processes in the Western Balkans, seeking to increase the quality of the decisions, enhance democratic legitimacy and citizen trust in the political system.




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