Advancing citizens' assemblies step by step
On 2 December 2025, the Robert Bosch Foundation hosted the Forum on sortition-Based Participation, which featured discussions on the current status and future of deliberative mini-publics in Germany. The event combined input on recommendations from two research projects with a subsequent panel discussion with members of the German Parliament and contributions from the audience.
The background to the event is the project lospfade on the continued use of sortition-based citizen committees in the German political system and a feasibility study on deliberative participation in climate policy.
Reflection space
At the beginning, Gordian Hass from the Robert Bosch Foundation emphasised his unwavering optimism for dialogue-oriented citizen participation. The current ‘dip in growth’ at the federal level could even open up a space for reflection.
Leonie Disselkamp from Klimamitbestimmung added that the recent media debate on participation by sortition shows how visible the issue has become. Citizen participation is often wrongly perceived as a brake on political processes; in fact, it can strengthen politics in complex areas such as pensions or conscription.
Recommendations for action
The recommendations for action presented advise permanently linking randomly selected citizen committees to existing institutions and deploying them specifically where fundamental social issues, political self-interest or long-term future issues require particular foresight. Three points were highlighted as next steps:
- Uniform honorary office for participation: Nationwide exemption rules for randomly selected citizens, analogous to the office of lay judge, to facilitate participation.
- Mixed ‘citizens' commissions’: Members of parliament and randomly selected participants should prepare fundamental issues and develop solutions together, following the Belgian model.
- Greater participation in climate policy: Selected committees, interest groups and scientists should work together on expert reports, climate plans and climate protection law processes in order to develop viable and accepted measures.
Blockages in Parliament
Bundestag members Ina Latendorf (Die Linke) and Helge Lindh (SPD) took part in the panel discussion. Both described growing tension in parliamentary proceedings: Blockades, party political tactics and a pronounced focus on interpretative authority made constructive political work difficult.
Lindh spoke openly about widespread fears regarding citizens' assemblies, such as the concern that they would weaken parliament, but emphasised that many of these arguments no longer hold water. Latendorf referred to the Citizens' Assembly on Nutrition, which she believed had raised important issues - but without sufficient political implementation.
Need for reform
Both MPs saw a need for reform in the structural anchoring of deliberative formats. Lindh advocated for a permanent structure with clear responsibilities, stable funding and a transparent process for identifying topics. Latendorf emphasised that politicians must develop a willingness to put their own positions aside in favour of external expertise.
The further discussion with the audience revolved around the possible use of citizens' commissions, the analogy between lay judges and lay politicians, and the idea of making citizens' assemblies on minority rights part of parliament. Lindh and Latendorf were open to various institutional developments, but warned against political defensive reflexes and advocated a step-by-step approach to establishing routine.
Broad support for citizen participation
Moderator Jacob Birkenhäger concluded the event with the impression that, despite political upheavals, citizen participation enjoys broad support - both in parliament and in civil society. The contributions made it clear that sortition-based participation is increasingly understood in Germany as a necessary element of a resilient democracy.
The key tasks remain: political commitment, stable structures, ongoing debates on specific issues and closer integration between citizen participation and parliamentary work. An intensive evening of exchange, which revealed both confidence and a clear need for action, ended with a reception.
Learn more: Sortition-oriented
Citizens' assemblies are becoming increasingly established. A paper by the Lospfade project develops five concrete approaches and development paths for this.