Cases
There are many initiatives for citizen participation in Belgium. In recent years, the authorities have become increasingly aware of the role that citizen panels can play in bringing policy-making closer to the people.
Discover here the noteworthy initiatives in our country, with figures and facts.
Our criteria: citizens' assembly with random draw and deliberation.
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Deliberative Committee of the Walloon Parliament
Between October 2023 and February 2024, the first deliberative committee of the Walloon Parliament took place. Ten parliamentarians and thirty randomly selected citizens engaged in discussions over five days on how citizens in Wallonia can permanently participate in decision-making. This initiative, launched after a petition by Cap Démocratie, marked a first for Wallonia, where citizens and politicians worked together as equals.
Citizens Consultation Mobility Plan Olen
The Municipality of Olen wants to think together with its residents about safe and sustainable traffic: How can Olen be a municipality where mobility and living are in tune with each other? The Olen citizens' council meets four times. Afterward, experts will work with this input. More information can be found on their website.
Climate Action Panel of the city of Arlon
The city of Arlon brought together a citizens’ panel to reflect on energy and climate. Through a stratified lottery, 20 citizens from diverse backgrounds were selected. During four evening workshops, they discussed their mobility, housing, and consumption practices. Their recommendations were compiled and submitted to the local government for further action.
We Need To Talk citizens debate
We Need To Talk aims to give time and input to a group of citizens to formulate proposals for party funding reform, a file that has been deadlocked for years. Those proposals will be presented to politicians, with the aim of achieving real change and breaking the deadlock. More info at weneedtotalk.be
Citizens' Council of Forest
In 2021, the municipality of Forest created a citizen's council, composed of 37 randomly selected citizens, in order to further involve the inhabitants in the elaboration of public policies and to feed the decisions of the municipality by formulating recommendations to the municipal institutions.
Let's prepare Brussels
In October and November 2021, Brussels Environment hosted deliberative workshops as part of the participatory process “Let's prepare Brussels” aiming at rethinking the resilience of the Region, during which about a hundred citizens formulated recommendations, on the basis of the results of a previous citizen consultation (online), to the competent Brussels Minister.
Mechelenmakers Citizens panel
The municipality of Mechelen wanted to involve the citizens more in the political life and therefore gathered in May 2021 a panel of 50 randomly selected citizens to discuss the question of the balance between a lively and a peaceful city—the recommendations resulting from this process have been forwarded to the local institutions for implementation.
Citizens Panel on Climate in Wallonia
In 2021, the Walloon Government commissioned a Citizens Panel on Climate as part of the revision of the Air Climate Energy Plan, asking the approximately sixty citizens selected by lot to formulate recommendations for measures to be taken to reduce greenhouse gases of 55% since 1990 by the year 2030.
Permanent Citizen Council of Saint-Gilles
In 2020, the municipality of Saint-Gilles has set up a permanent citizens' council, made up of 35 Saint-Gilles inhabitants, in order involve residents in the development of public policies, encourage citizen participation and improve the interaction between residents and elected officials.
Auderghem's Assembly of the Residents
In 2020, the municipality of Auderghem launched the project of the Assembly of Residents, made up of 10 Neighborhood Assemblies, themselves composed of 10 citizens drawn by lot. Their role is to co-organize the municipal participatory budget and to formulate public policy recommendations.
Brussels Mixed Committees
Since 2020, the Parliament of the Brussels-Capital Region and the French-speaking Parliament of Brussels organize joint commissions bringing together citizens chosen by lot and elected officials to formulate recommendations on various topics that are then dealt with in the Parliament.
Agora Citizens Assemblies
Since 2020, the political movement Agora organizes the deliberations of the Brussels Citizens' Assembly, gathering 89 citizens drawn by lot to formulate proposals relayed to the Brussels Parliament by an elected spokesperson.