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Network for Citizen Participation and Deliberation in Europe
The Network in Brief
May 2026
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The Network for Citizen Participation and Deliberation in Europe brings together insights, opportunities, and projects shared by members each month.
Feel free to forward this to colleagues. Write to europe@fidemocracy.org if you have something to contribute to the next edition.
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Deliberative & Participatory Processes
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Being prepared – Societal Resilience in times of crisis
Initiated by Minister Barbara Bosch (Baden-Württemberg), this project brings communities together to review real crises they have experienced and draw lessons for the future. Between March and April 2026, five focus groups took place in towns that experienced different types of local crises. Each group brought together around 20 people: local officials, emergency services, business owners, and citizens. The population's perspective sits at the table alongside institutions as a core part of the review. A second phase launches in summer 2026, with municipalities developing their own preventive measures, moderated by the Alliance for Participation on Site. A key finding from phase one: people who go through this process together come out more connected. Solidarity, it turns out, is the best crisis management.
Shared by Timo Peters, Baden-Württemberg State Ministry
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Two upcoming panels: the ongoing one on Preparedness (March–May 2026) and the next on Democratic Resilience (September–November 2026), each bringing together 150 randomly selected citizens from all 27 EU member states for three weekends of structured deliberation.
Plenary sessions can be followed via webstream. Contact COMM-CITIZENS-PANELS@ec.europa.eu to observe in person.
Shared by Gaëtane Ricard-Nihoul, European Commission
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An open online space for everyone to contribute to EU policy debates in any of the 24 official EU languages, with real-time translation. Active debates on Preparedness and Democratic Resilience feed directly into the Citizens' Panel deliberations.
Shared by Gaëtane Ricard-Nihoul, European Commission
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A capacity-building webinar (up to 100 participants) organized by DemNet and the Council of Europe Youth Centre Budapest, exploring the EU Youth Citizens' Panel on Pollinators and the Ida-Viru Youth Assembly on climate justice, with voices from previous citizens' assemblies.
Kick-off of a joint series planned with DemNet and CoE Youth Centre Budapest for 2026–2027.
Shared by Cornelia Perle, PartDem / DemNet
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9–10 June 2026 · Brussels
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The 17th edition of the largest annual EU public communicators conference, structured around three strands: connecting people, connecting places, and connecting times, with a digital mirror thread examining how technology connects and divides societies.
Registration open until 31 May. Contact @Turck Katja or @europcom for further info.
Shared by Mario Grubisic, Committee of the Regions
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18–19 November 2026 · Vienna
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A conference for practitioners, public officials, political parties, NGOs, and funders to move this field from the margins to the mainstream. To build the infrastructure, lift the standards, and create the political will to make it permanent.
Get notified when registrations open
Shared by Yves Dejaeghere, FIDE
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We are inviting applications from practitioners who want to host a workshop on either day. Places are limited and we expect demand to exceed availability — we encourage you to apply early.
Questions? Write to workshops@fidemocracy.org
Shared by Yves Dejaeghere, FIDE
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In collaboration with We Do Democracy, we have developed a Competence Model for Lead Deliberative Facilitators to address the need for high-quality facilitation in the growing field of citizens' assemblies. The model sets out what we believe a lead facilitator needs to know and be able to do. It is organized around six core domains — macro design, micro design, facilitation, project management, knowledge curation, and communication — preceded by the foundational beliefs and values that underpin effective practice. We are now building a training programme on this foundation, starting with the Deliberative Facilitation Masterclass on 14–16 September 2026 in Copenhagen.
Have ideas to improve the model? Share your feedback
Shared by Yves Dejaeghere, FIDE
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The publication focuses on the permanent citizen dialogue in the German-speaking Community and provides an assessment of the period from 2019 to 2024. Presents the foundations, structures, and five-year evaluation of the permanent citizens' dialogue instrument, including a scientific analysis and decree amendments.
Shared by Nicole De Palmenaer, Parliament of the German-speaking Community
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Democracy once had it easier. Its global influence is declining, social conflicts are hardening, and trust in state institutions is eroding. Yet citizens are demanding more participation and a stronger sense of belonging. How can democracy respond? In the age of AI, government and society need to cultivate openness towards more cooperation and a new culture of conflict and genuine compromise.
Shared by Dr. Angela Jain and Dr. Christian Huesmann, Demokratie und Zusammenhalt
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Other News & Opportunities
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UCLouvain–ISPOLE is opening a PhD position with two years of start-up funding to provide academic support for the Permanent Citizens' Dialogue in East Belgium, coordinated by the Parliament of the German-speaking Community of Belgium and funded through Erasmus+.
The application deadline is 15 May 2026 (12:00 noon)
Shared by Nicole De Palmenaer, Parliament of the German-speaking Community
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Founded by FIDE and Bertelsmann Stiftung
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