“We Europeans” Citizens’ Assembly -Civico

Design - Strategy - Training

Introduction to the citizens' assembly "We Europeans"

The Civico We Europeans Citizens' Assembly was a deliberative democracy initiative organized by Civico, a platform aimed at fostering citizen participation and involvement in democratic processes. It was part of the We Europeans project, which sought to engage European citizens in discussions about the future of the European Union (EU) and its policies. The assembly provided a space for ordinary citizens to deliberate on key European issues and make recommendations for the EU's future.

Credit: We Europeans - Civico

Key Features of the Civico We Europeans Citizens' Assembly:

Objective

• The assembly aimed to engage citizens from across Europe in discussions about the EU, its role in the world, and the challenges it faces.

• The goal was to provide a platform for citizens to contribute to shaping the future of the EU, ensuring their voices were heard in the decision-making process.

• It addressed important topics such as

  • climate change

  • the future of democracy

  • migration, the economy

  • the EU’s relationship with other global actors

Composition

• The assembly brought together a diverse group of citizens from different European countries.

• Participants were selected through random stratified sampling to ensure a representation that was geographically, demographically, and socially diverse.

• This method aimed to reflect the broad diversity of European citizens and ensure that the assembly was not dominated by any particular group or interest.

Deliberative process

• Over the course of the assembly, participants engaged in structured deliberations on key issues, informed by expert testimonies and facilitated discussions.

• The process encouraged critical thinking, debate, and consensus-building, with the goal of developing informed recommendations that could help shape EU policy and future directions.

Impact and outcomes

• The Civico We Europeans Citizens' Assembly aimed to present its findings and recommendations to EU policymakers, contributing to the ongoing conversation about the EU's future and the direction it should take.

• The assembly helped to bridge the gap between citizens and EU institutions, giving ordinary Europeans a platform to discuss and influence policies that directly affect their lives.

Broader context

• The assembly was a significant step in the broader movement to involve citizens in shaping the future of Europe, and it aimed to ensure that the EU's policies align with the values and aspirations of its diverse populations.

• The We Europeans citizens assembly was an important step in the institutionalization of the latter EU citizens’ panel.

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