Have a look back at last Thursday in Brussels, when we delved into cutting-edge research and exchanged ideas on improving deliberative mini-publics. This wide-ranging discussion with 50 academics, practitioners and civil servants is difficult to sum up in a few sentences. Let's give it a try anyway.
1️⃣ Participation – Jean-Benoit Pilet (ULB) with Kristof Jacobs (RU Nijmegen)
💬Sortition is a powerful tool to ensure diversity, but how representative is representative enough? Reaching marginalized groups and addressing intersectionality remains a challenge. Is it always meaningful to aim for perfect representativeness? Research suggests that factors like age or residence have less influence on legitimacy than we might think.
💬Interestingly, we see that political attitudes of the participants affect legitimacy but are rarely taken into account. Could quotas for political perspectives be part of the solution?
💬By anticipating potential elements that could undermine legitimacy, designers can tailor the approaches to strengthen the process.
2️⃣ Public Support – Sofie Marien (KU Leuven) with Emilien Paulis (Uni Luxembourg)
💬Public support for mini-publics hinges on recruitment methods, group size, and perceptions of the outcomes.
💬Research shows that advisory mini-publics tend to receive more support than binding ones. Still, advisory processes must deliver clear, actionable outcomes to maintain public trust.
💬One ongoing challenge is bridging the gap between “winners” and “losers.” Could tools like referendums or preferendums on mini-public outcomes help to increase the proportion of winners?
3️⃣Impact – Min Reuchamps (UCLouvain) with Camille Dobler (Missions Publiques)
Or rather, impacts.
💬Mini-publics can influence policies, especially when MP's experience the process firsthand—it tends to improve uptake. Timing is key: involve politicians too early, and they may dominate; involve them too late, and they may struggle to feel invested.
💬Mini-publics also impact other actors, including civil society, journalists who can play vital roles in bridging gaps and fostering buy-in.
💬Mini-publics can transform institutions by fostering democratic innovation. For example, the first mixed committee in the Parliament of Wallonia blended permanent committees, mini-publics, and regional consultations into a pioneering democratic institution—a true “best of both worlds.”
Thank you to all the participants for making this an insightful and thought-provoking afternoon. Your contributions and expertise are helping shape the future of deliberative democracy.
✍Visuals drawn on the spot by Judith Du Faux.
A collaboration of G1000, TreeCompany, Université libre de Bruxelles, Université catholique de Louvain and KU Leuven
