Thorsten SterkIn the US city of Lexington, a Civic Assembly has drawn up recommendations for amending the urban county charter. On 27 April, those involved will discuss the process in an online event.
Citizens’ assemblies could offer. @europarl the chance to live up to its own claim to be the centre of democratic debate, writes historian Richard Steinberg on @foederalist.
https://www.foederalist.eu/2026/04/european-parliament-deliberative-forums.html?m=1
Flensburg is the first local authority in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein to hold a Citizens’ Jury followed by a referendum. The focus is on the future of mobility in the Baltic Sea city.
https://www.buergerrat.de/en/news/citizens-jury-with-referendum-in-flensburg/
“Intergenerational Public Services” is the theme of the first statewide Citizens’ Assembly in North Rhine-Westphalia. Participants will begin their deliberations on April 17, 2026.
https://www.buergerrat.de/en/news/citizens-assembly-on-public-services-with-ai/
Citizens’ Action for Democracy (CitiDem) invites you to an online, multi-stakeholder event on 20 April 2026, where European citizens from diverse backgrounds will come together to shape the future of democracy in Europe.
On April 17, 2026, a Climate Council composed of representatives from academia and associations will begin its work in Lower Saxony. A panel of randomly selected citizens will monitor the work of the Climate Council.
https://www.buergerrat.de/en/news/climate-assembly-for-lower-saxony/
Brussels will become the European Capital of Democracy in 2027.
One reason for this is its extensive use of sortition. Brussels has established the world’s first permanent citizens’ climate assembly. The regional parliament has deliberative committees comprising members of parliament and randomly selected residents, who jointly draft initiatives to be submitted to parliament.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/g1000-democracy-citizenparticipation-share-7448298322253156352-Ftmy
In the midst of war, local governments in Ukraine turn to citizens with three new assemblies
At the end of February, despite the heavy snow and freezing temperatures, 5,000 invitation letters were delivered across the community, reaching households in Rivne and Kvasyliv. Each letter invited residents aged 18 and over to take part in the city’s first-ever #CitizensAssembly.
They received a record-high response rate, and their deliberation has just started.
https://www.fidemocracy.org/news/deliberation-during-wartime
The COVID-19 pandemic has posed enormous challenges for the state and society in terms of health, the economy, social issues and politics. Randomly selected dialogue forums are intended to help come to terms with the pandemic.
https://www.buergerrat.de/en/news/dialogue-forums-on-covid-19-planned/
What happens when young people are given the space, trust, and respect to rise to the occasion of democratic decision making?
