Appeal to Policymakers: Plan More Citizen Participation
14.10.2021
As the course is now being set for the coming legislative period, policymakers should focus more on citizen participation. A team from the Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS) Potsdam and the Institute for Research on Democracy and Participation (Institut für Demokratie- und Partizipationsforschung – IDPF) in Wuppertal have formulated a 7+5-point plan: It details crucial points to consider for the institutionalisation of citizens' assemblies at the federal level.
Citizens’ assemblies made up of randomly assigned participants are increasingly being used to advise policy with recommendations from the perspective of "random citizens”. Three citizens' assemblies have even been created at the federal level. However, there is not yet a regulated framework to integrate citizens' assemblies into the institutional structure so that their potential can be fully realised.
The IASS and IDPF would like to promote dialogue between scientists and practitioners and have identified the following criteria and functions as central to the successful institutionalisation of citizens' assemblies at the federal level:
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INDEPENDENCE: A neutral body should be in charge of operational coordination and implementation.
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AUTONOMOUS ORGANISATION: Independent institutions with legal capacity should be established.
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PLURAL SPONSORSHIP: Diversity in consultation, design and monitoring should be ensured.
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INDEPENDENT BUDGET: There must be sufficient public funding.
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CONTINUITY: Institutionalisation should extend beyond the legislative period.
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SCIENTIFIC CONSULTATION AND EVALUATION: Quality control and assurance should be informed by scientific and experience-based expertise.
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TRANSPARENCY: Councils should have a clear organisational form, documented and comprehensible financing and process control.
Key functions for an institutional framework for citizens' assemblies:
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POLITICAL RELATABILITY: Ensure links are established to political commissions and other actors that recommendations are directed toward.
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ORGANISATION: Coordinate planning and operational implementation of citizens’ assemblies.
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SELECTION PROCESSES: Ensure the random assignment of participants to councils and the selection of organisations in charge of coordinating activities.
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QUALITY CONTROL: Ensure independent, expert evaluations.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS: Create visibility, external effect and understanding for society via diverse on- and offline channels.
Citizen participation requires structure and regime
“After our evaluation of the citizens’ assembly ‘Germany’s Role in the World’ earlier this year as well as a workshop on 13 September with scientists and participants of citizens’ assemblies, we have condensed this catalogue of criteria and sent it to 140 recipients from the areas of policymaking, science and practice,” says Daniel Oppold, who is overseeing the scientific end of the project. “Citizens’ assemblies and participation require suitable structures and conditions so that the potential of this process can be realised at the federal level – both in dealing with relevant issues and in renewing our democracy.”
