WHAT IS THE PEOPLE`S ASSEMBLY?
A citizens’ assembly is a form of deliberative democracy in which decisions are made by a cross-section of society – a ‘mini-public’. As a citizens’ assembly draws on the best available research, utilises collective wisdom and reaches a consensus, it is a form of decision-making that empowers citizens and communities. Every resident has an equal chance of being selected for a citizens’ assembly, as participants are chosen at random. A citizens’ assembly helps to ensure that the voices of ordinary people are represented in shaping society.
A People’s Assembly is well suited to making difficult, long-term decisions that require major changes. By taking a well-considered approach and involving citizens and interest groups, the public sector can be encouraged to make forward-looking decisions. In this way, a People’s Assembly helps the public sector to renew itself. International experience has shown that people’s assemblies safeguard the public interest by accelerating long-term change and providing the public mandate necessary for making complex decisions.
Forms of ‘mini-publics’ were already in use in Mesopotamia and Ancient Greece. Since the 1970s, modern citizens’ assemblies have become widespread at local, regional and national levels, addressing a range of issues from urban planning, migration, the environment and climate change, through electoral reform, to constitutional reform. In the European Union, citizens’ assemblies have become the main means of consulting citizens. In the context of deepening environmental crises, there have been numerous climate assemblies over the last decade, including one on a global scale.
The People’s Assembly is not a magic wand for boosting public trust and finding solutions; there are many other co-creation formats alongside it. Similarly, there are around twenty different ‘mini-public’ formats. The more we combine them and make them a permanent feature of public administration, the stronger our everyday democracy will be.
Read and listen to find out more about the People’s Assemblies
On 29 May 2024, during Open Government Week, the Estonian Cooperation Assembly, together with the DD Centre for Democracy, highlighted the important role of citizens’ initiatives and citizens’ assemblies in political decision-making processes. The discussion was attended by Onni Pekonen (Sitra, the Finnish Innovation Fund), Maarja-Leena Saar (Estonian Cooperation Assembly) and Teele Pehk (DD Democracy Centre), with Bart Cosijn (Estonian Academy of Dialogue) moderating the discussion.
Radio discussion: ‘How can we bring democracy closer to the people?’
Just before the European Parliament elections, Maiu Lauring and Teele Pehk, experts from the DD Centre for Democracy, spoke on Kuku Radio with presenter Mart Valner about democracy, democratic reforms and how to make all of this more accessible to the public.
Presentation: ‘The State of Democracy Here and Elsewhere’
Our expert, Maiu Lauring, gave a presentation at the Riigikogu on 12 April 2024, the anniversary of the right of popular initiative, in which she discussed the state of democracy.
The Estonian Nature Fund (project manager Maris Jõgeva), Rohetiiger (Teele Pehk, Maiu Lauring) and DD StratLab (Kaisa Jõgeva)
OUR EXPERIENCE
Experts in deliberative democracy from the Centre for Democracy have organised all of Estonia’s climate assemblies whilst working in various organisations and in different roles – more on this below. They were also involved in organising the People’s Assembly in 2013, which established the now-popular right of popular initiative and simplified the process of forming political parties.
Tallinn Green Capital People’s Assembly (2023)
As the European Green Capital, Tallinn piloted a climate-themed citizens’ assembly for the first time in October and November 2023 as an innovative way of engaging citizens. Forty-five residents, representing a cross-section of Tallinn’s population, gathered over five days spread across three weekends to discuss how to transform the capital’s green spaces into an inviting whole. The People’s Assembly was held in Estonian, Russian and English.
Mini-Tallinn’s mandate was to prioritise actions relating to green spaces under the Tallinn 2035 strategy, which will help the capital to adapt better to climate change. The People’s Assembly submitted 39 proposals to the city government for adapting to climate change, aimed at increasing green spaces and preserving existing greenery. In May 2024, at a public meeting, the city responded to the People’s Assembly’s proposals and announced that the majority of them would be implemented in the coming years. Led by the Deputy Mayor, a steering committee comprising heads of departments will be responsible for providing updates on the People’s Assembly’s proposals until the end of 2024.
Further information:➢ The Green Capital People’s Assembly website (in Estonian, Russian and English): greentallinn.eu/rahvakogu
➢ Photo gallery of the People’s Assembly days (photographs by Ardo Kaljuvee)
➢ The People’s Assembly’s 39 proposals and a description of the participants (in Estonian)
➢ Tallinn’s responses to the People’s Assembly’s proposals (in Estonian and Russian)
➢ Report on the initial findings compiled by the Centre for Democracy, including recommendations to Tallinn on implementing People’s Assemblies (in Estonian)
Organisers:
The Tallinn Strategy Centre and the DD Centre for Democracy (project manager Maiu Lauring, Teele Pehk, Alla Sirotina, Liisa Jõerüüt, Joanna Kurvits, Karl Lembit Laane, Triin Mirjam Tark)
Tartu Climate Council (2022)
In April–May 2022, Tartu’s first climate assembly was held on the topic of sustainable mobility. It was attended by 45 Tartu residents selected at random (the so-called ‘mini-Tartu’), who represented a cross-section of the city’s population in terms of gender, age, place of residence, employment status and mother tongue.
The Tartu Climate Assembly days were designed so that individual opinions and experiences would enrich the group discussions and ultimately be transformed into a collective proposal. As residents, the participants in the Climate Assembly contributed their life experiences and values; they were not expected to be experts, nor were they expected to become experts.
The Climate Assembly, which took place over three weekends, resulted in 66 proposals on how to improve the safety and health of Tartu’s streets, reduce traffic-related noise and air pollution in the city, and shape an environmentally sustainable future that takes climate change into account.A month after receiving the Climate Council’s proposals, the city council convened a meeting with the Climate Council members to present its responses to the proposals. In summary, the mayor and officials noted that 40 per cent of the proposals were already being implemented, several proposals (such as the creation of a biodiversity strategy) would be included in the plan in the coming years, and around a fifth of the proposals required further analysis or funding. In early 2024, the city council reviewed the Climate Council’s proposals and provided an update on the progress made on these issues in the meantime.
Further information:
➢ The Tartu Climate Council website (in Estonian, English and Russian)
➢ Proposals from the Climate Council to the City Council (in Estonian)
➢ Tartu City Council’s responses to the Climate Council’s proposals (June 2022)
➢ Tartu City Council’s review of the Climate Council’s proposals (2024)
Organisers:
Tartu City Council, in collaboration with Rohetiiger (project manager Teele Pehk, Maiu Lauring, Kristin Siil) and Miltton (Kadri Vanem, Jolanda Lipu, Liisa Jõerüüt)
Ida-Viru Youth Climate Council (2021)
Estonia’s first climate-themed People’s Assembly, focusing on a just transition in Ida-Viru County, took place in November and December 2021 with young people from Ida-Viru County. Forty young people aged between 16 and 29 took part in the virtual climate assembly over three days. The Ida-Viru Youth Climate Assembly assessed the county’s just transition plans and made proposals to supplement them, so that the transition to a climate-neutral future would be fair from the young people’s perspective. The Climate Assembly was held in Estonian and Russian.
The Climate Council’s proposals were forwarded to the Ministry of Finance, which coordinates the just transition, and to the Association of Local Authorities of Ida-Viru County. The majority of the proposals were taken into account in the national just transition plan. In addition, young people were invited to represent local youth on the steering committee of the Just Transition Fund (€340 million) for the coming years. Following the Climate Assembly, the young people who took part went on to establish a new non-governmental organisation, the People With Purpose (PWP) Alliance.
Further information:
➢ The Ida-Viru Climate Council website (in Estonian and Russian)
➢ Proposals from the Climate Council (in Estonian, in Russian)
➢ Presentation on the Climate Assembly process and outcomes (in English)
➢ “A Youth Climate Assembly in Ida-Viru: Case Study” – European Commission 2023
Organisers:
Eestimaa Looduse Fond (projektijuht Maris Jõgeva), Rohetiiger (Teele Pehk, Maiu Lauring) ja DD StratLab (Kaisa Jõgeva)
PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY FOR A GOOD LIFE
In 2025, the Centre for Democracy and Praxis will be organising the People’s Assembly for a Good Life. This is a nationwide event that will bring Estonians together to consider, as a community, how to steer our society towards the well-being of people and nature. The People’s Assembly will help to strengthen the collective will for sustainable change.
https://rahvakogu.info/