The Concept of Citizen Assemblies

Citizen assemblies are a form of democratic innovation that convene a group of people selected by lottery to be broadly representative, and they are focused on deliberating a specific policy issue. The assemblies provide a deliberative space for participants to grapple with the complexity of the issue, hear from experts and stakeholders, and work towards finding common ground on shared proposals. An example of a citizen assembly is the French Citizens' Assembly on end-of-life issues, where 184 people deliberated for 27 days to come up with 67 detailed proposals on changing legislation related to end-of-life. The assembly process provides an opportunity for citizens to have meaningful agency and voice in decision-making, shifting political and legislative power to everyday people.