Deliberative Democracy : DiEM25 - Citizens Assemblies Within Government

Democracies are in varying states of frustration and anger as trust is lost in their politic. Alongside is an ever growing number of the disenfranchised who have in effect become impotent spectators as to how they are governed. At the same time is an awareness that the reality of the vote is only keeping in place a situation that needs to change - “Conventional left/right politics are no longer viable - human nature is an inherent obstacle to cumulative ethical or political progress” (John Gray)

As an explanation: Firstly - voting changes some things but not others, by in effect keeping them in place, for the party vote brings with it the ‘clothes’ of ‘institutional design’ - the collective of culture, identity and history which shapes our politic and under which it functions. It is this subjection by a political framework that cannot be similarly objectified as can a party, as to why nothing ever seems to radically change. We vote a party and so doing endorse the ‘design.’

Secondly, party affiliated politicians morph into camps of entrenchment , a red light for deliberation and a bed for adversarial politics. Neither are they necessarily or adequately informed, guided as they are by the paths of the ‘left or right’, party agenda and allegiance. In support of their narratives they harvest many hard to qualify, often contentious facts, that ‘mediarized’ can become a blend of mis and disinformation.

People are also used in elections as enabling pawns in the above structure, which are then boxed and again brought into play at a later date when needed. This inclusive / exclusive state of politicians and voters needs to be radically reformed by having the suggested roll of people within government as an integral constituent part. We cannot forever leave politics to politicians. Democracy must be the electoral bride, not its bridesmaid.

Citizen assemblies, panels and councils exist outside of government and politics. Frequently occurring in many countries around the world, they are formed as a way of addressing matters about which governments are either unable, or poorly constituted to do - they are a very real ‘by the people for the people’ event. Functioning independently of politics as democratic bodies, they listen to evidence concerning the subject upon which they deliberate. Selected by sortition they are not dissimilar to a court and jury in being guided by majority verdict, and more often deal with complex, contentious societal issues.

Many countries now have bodies set up for funding and the organisation of citizen assemblies, such as The Sortition Foundation in the U.K. and Mehr Demokratie in Germany, the largest non-party democratic organisation in the European Union. In respect there are now examples in the U.K. of regional councils wholly formed along the lines of a non political citizens assembly. Existing outside of government they do not replicate any aspects of government jurisdiction as an elected body, neither are governments subject to or obliged in any way to act upon their findings. Their purpose is as an enabler for better democratic apolitical representation, which can only exist outside of political institutions.

The aim of this meeting is to survey two contributory factors giving us our contemporary politics, with its outcomes under current patterns of conventional voting. It attempts to explain what is inherent within the system that discernibly favours politicians at the expense of the electorate.

Citizens assemblies/panels/councils and their incorporation within government are suggested as an enabler for better democratic representation - as a way to enhance politics for the benefit of all by its inclusion of people. However, careful consideration needs to be given as to how this could be implemented in respect to the job of elected government. They cannot usurp, challenge, or oppose , but could provide counsel for that which cannot be deliberated by the adversarial nature of party politics, with its concerns of identity and positioning and power.

DiEM25 already has deliberative democracy at its heart, mentioning as it does within its manifesto the values of citizen assemblies. We know there are many others matters about which to fight for and feel injustice over - but - how we are governed is something we all share, and in so doing gives us the collective power to make change.

The re-convening of the DiEM25 Deliberative Democracy group will explore all this - invite speakers and generate resources - so we look forward to this being both attractive, popular and purposeful.

Michael Sinclair