2024 record year for citizens' assemblies
In 2024, there were more citizens' assemblies in Germany than ever before. The NGO ‘Mehr Demokratie’ counted a total of 51 cases in its annual review. Of the 51 mini-publics, six took place at federal level and six in the federal states. 39 municipal citizens' assemblies were also organised. ‘Germany is experiencing a wave of citizens‘ assemblies,’ says Claudine Nierth, spokesperson for the federal board of Mehr Demokratie.
The six citizens‘ assemblies at federal level include the citizens’ assembly ‘Nutrition in Transition’. This assembly was the first mini-public set up by the Bundestag. In addition, there were the citizens' assemblies “Education and Learning”, “Joint Transport Turnaround in Urban and Rural Areas”, the “Forum against Fakes”, the “Dialogue Workshop on Equal Living Conditions” (only 1 of 3 planned local procedures carried out due to early re-election) and the “Young Future Forum”, which were organised by federal ministries or civil society actors.
Climate, transport and urban planning
Of the 51 mini-publics, 41 were completed in 2024 and seven will continue in 2025. The most common topics were climate (17 procedures), transport (17 procedures) and urban planning (16 procedures). 24 new citizens' assemblies are already firmly planned for 2025.
One of the most successful was a mini-public in Baden-Württemberg. Following a randomly selected Citizens' Forum, the Baden-Württemberg state government launched a major education reform in July 2024 with a return from the eight-year grammar school to a reformed G9.
In Amberg, the city is following a concept developed by a Citizens' Jury for the future use of the derelict Bürgerspital site. And in Warendorf, the administration is taking up suggestions from a Citizens' Jury on the future procedure for naming streets. In Malchin, the mayor was instructed by the building committee of the town council to consider and implement the recommendations of the Citizens' Jury on the future heat supply of the town based on renewable energies in the municipal heat planning.
‘Citizens’ assemblies are proving their worth"
‘Sortition-based citizens' assemblies are popular and have proven themselves in practice. They provide answers and contribute to the resolution of political conflicts. Citizens‘ assemblies enable constructive processes on controversial issues and increase satisfaction among citizens and politicians,’ says Nierth.
Together with the Institute for Democracy & Participation Research at the University of Wuppertal (IDPF), Mehr Demokratie published the first citizens' assembly report in 2024. It is based on a new database in which the database team is constantly updating the already registered lottery procedures and entering new mini-publics.
Mini-publics have different names
The study summarises procedures with different names under the name ‘Citizens’ Assembly’. Sometimes they are called citizens‘ assemblies, sometimes citizens’ forums, sometimes planning cells, sometimes citizens' dialogues, sometimes future dialogues. But they always have four things in common: The participating citizens are randomly selected. They discuss a political topic. The dialogue takes the form of group discussions. The participating citizens present substantive results, usually recommendations, often in the form of a citizens' report.