Unlike social media, which too often polarises debate and encourages extremism, deliberative democracy allows for the restoration of genuine dialogue based on listening and respect. However, this is far from being the only advantage of this new form of exchange, as demonstrated by the conference organised by the Congress on this topic on 26 November in Strasbourg.
While deliberative democracy is particularly well suited to the local and regional level, it is all the more necessary as it can counterbalance the violence of uncontrolled and poorly documented discourses that proliferates on online platforms, according to Jane Suiter, professor of political communication at Dublin City University (Ireland): When participants in deliberative debates disagree with each other, they do not start accusing their detractors of conspiracy theories, because they listen to each other instead of confronting each other, she noted. Nevertheless, deliberative democracy can be frightening to some elected officials, whether local or national, who may feel threatened in their power, she believes. However, if it is well organised, deliberative democracy truly allows all groups to express themselves, involves citizens in major decisions and is often simpler and less expensive to organise than a referendum. Ms Suiter also paid tribute to the many Ukrainian initiatives presented during the day, noting that "if it works well in this country despite the war, there is no reason why it should not develop successfully in other countries with less difficult living conditions.
Mobility, an ideal theme for deliberative democracy
The Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, is currently preparing its new mobility project at a time when the city, and therefore traffic, is undergoing rapid development. Currently, 30% of residents travel by car, 30% by public transport and 30% on foot, and we thought that mobility was an ideal topic for discussion by a citizens' assembly, explained Beatrice Umbrasaite, advisor to the city's chief architect. A project based on the recommendations of this assembly will then be submitted to all residents: this citizen-led process gives it a ‘human dimension’ and also shows how deliberative democracy strengthens democracy as a whole.
Sometimes, according to Mirela Dzeverhovic, Deputy Mayor of Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina), members of citizens' assemblies reach agreements when politicians are unable to do so. This is particularly true in countries with multiple and complex structures, with significant overlaps in powers between different levels of government, particularly municipal, regional and federal or central: ‘The debates and meetings we organise enable us to prepare for the future of our urban entity without political bias,’ she added.
Carsten Berg, Director of the European Citizens' Initiative in Freiburg (Germany), gave an overview of the various examples of deliberative democracy existing at local and regional level in Europe: their varied structures show that there is no single model, but that they all enrich the democratic processes existing in the cities and regions where they operate.
How can deliberative democracy be sustained?
The debates that followed the presentations focused on the means and methods for launching a deliberative democracy experiment, but also on the importance of sustaining this type of assembly, either by ‘institutionalising’ them or by giving them a legal framework. A functioning deliberative democracy can advance a city or region, but also an entire country, as Sean O'Brien, city councillor of Tullamore (Ireland), pointed out: it was deliberative assemblies across the country that called for a constitutional amendment to allow a vote on the decriminalisation of abortion in Ireland, which was finally achieved in 2019.
Closing the conference, Damir Kapidzic, professor of political science in Sarajevo and international consultant to the Council of Europe on innovative democracy and democratic processes, highlighted the benefits of deliberative democracy, whether in terms of citizen participation, inclusiveness or strengthening citizens' trust in their institutions. ‘Now we need to build civic infrastructure for deliberation that includes skills development, provision of region/country-wide deliberative services, funds and access to knowledge resources to support and organise deliberation in a more systemic way, connecting experts and platforms for mutual learning. Invest in deliberation-ready citizens!’ he concluded.
