Citizens' Assemblies

How a citizens' assembly works

A citizens’ assembly is a group of ordinary people, representing the wider population, who are brought together to discuss an important issue and decide on a course of action.

Assemblies typically follow a three-part structure of learning, discussion, and decision-making. Experts present evidence in the first instance, covering the breadth of opinion on the issue, often alongside additional learning resources. Participants ask questions, with the aim of filling in any gaps in knowledge or addressing any concerns.

Then participants engage in facilitated deliberation. Every member listens to the opinions of others and interrogates their own opinion in good faith. The assembly then draws conclusions and offers recommendations for future actions.

It’s as simple as that. Citizens’ assemblies are part of a long tradition of deliberative and participatory democracy. Governments around the world increasingly use assemblies' to tackle the most complex and controversial issues of the day.

Notable Citizens' Assemblies

The Citizens Assembly on Electoral Reform

The first modern citizens' assembly was held in the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC) in 2003. Set up by the provincial government, the assembly randomly selected more than 160 citizens to discuss and investigate improvements to the electoral system.

After learning and deliberation, the assembly proposed a new proportional electoral system for BC, which made voting fairer, reflected the balance between votes and seats, offered voters more choice, and made candidates work harder for public support. The OECD has credited the citizens’ assembly for creating a 'deliberate wave' in better governance and greater representation. The BC assembly led to more assemblies.

The Irish Model of Citizens' Assemblies

A parliamentary resolution established the Irish Citizens’ Assembly in 2016, following on from the model of its predecessor, the Convention on the Constitution. The Citizens’ Assembly organised ordinary citizens, randomly selected to represent Irish society, to deliberate on issues including abortion rights, fixed-term parliaments, and climate change.

Members of the Citizens’ Assembly adopt key principles: openness of proceedings, fairness in treating different viewpoints, equality of voice among members, respect and collegiality.

Perhaps the most famous example of the ‘Irish model’ comes with discussions of the Eighth Amendment. Assembly members overwhelmingly agreed that the constitutional provision on abortion was not fit for purpose and that article 40.3.3 should not be retained.

A majority of members recommended amending or replacing the article with a provision authorising the Oireachtas to legislate on matters relating to termination of pregnancy.

The Assembly submitted recommendations in June 2017. The findings were reviewed by the Irish Parliament, which agreed with the need to remove article 40.3.3, but advocated a simple repeal. But the final Referendum Bill accorded with the ‘repeal and replace’ recommendations made by the Assembly, showing deliberative democracy in action.

The Citizen's Assembly on Social Care

The UK parliament commissioned its first citizens' assembly, the Citizens' Assembly on Social Care, in 2018. The public generally agreed that social care and funding needed reform, but recommendations from government reports and commissions were not enacted.

The Citizens’ Assembly on Social Care brought together 47 randomly selected citizens from across England, over two weekends, to consider social care reform. Members took part in 28 hours of deliberation and reached a number of recommendations.

The government largely shelved the findings, but the process set a precedent for public engagement in UK policy making. The success led to similar civic lotteries in the UK.

The Climate Assembly

The Climate Assembly gathered 108 members of the British public, selected through civic lottery, to represent the UK population. The members included engineers and health workers, and they met over six weekends between January and the middle of May 2020.

The Climate Assembly received balanced, accurate, and comprehensive information on how the UK could reach net zero targets by 2050. The members heard from various experts, representing different perspectives, then they discussed ideas among themselves. They voted by secret ballot and their recommendations were presented in a final report.

The Climate Change Committee integrated the work into its Sixth Carbon Budget. The assembly led to similar initiatives, such as Scotland’s Climate Assembly, and inspired a wider take up of assemblies in the UK, including the People’s Assembly for Nature.

A Citizens' Assembly on AI

Pull The Plug call on the UK Government to fund Citizens’ Assemblies on AI, so that ordinary people, informed by experts, can make democratic decisions on AI design and implementation. A Citizens’ Assembly would allow us to regain power over our tech and ensure that our voices are heard.