---
authors:
- Charlie
- Usmaan
categories:
- Politics
- Society
contributors:
- Charlie
- Usmaan
date: 2023-10-11 00:00:00
summary: A Citizens’ Assembly is a representative group of citizens who are selected
  at random from the population to discuss a topic or issue and make recommendations.
tags:
- citizenship
- participation
- government
- policy
title: Citizens’ Assembly
---

A Citizens’ Assembly (also known as a Citizen Jury) is a representative
group of citizens who are selected at random from the population to
discuss a topic or issue and make recommendations. The aim is for the
members of the assembly to engage in serious and informed reflection on
an important policy matter with people they would normally not meet. It
is still up to elected politics to decide whether or not to follow the
assembly’s recommendations.

A key characteristic of a citizen’s assembly is to secure a group of
people who are broadly representative of the country, covering
characteristics such as gender, cultural background, social class, or
where they live. They are presented with high-quality information on the
topic from experts in a neutral manner allowing them to be informed of
all sides of a debate.

Crucially, an assembly gives a group of people the tools and time to
properly discuss a complex or controversial opinion.

An assembly will typically go through three phases: learning,
consultation, deliberation and discussion.

#### Learning Phase

Participants get to know each other, how the assembly works and its’
aims. Facts are presented to the participants in a neutral manner,
providing background to all sides of the topic considered. Experts are
often invited where participants are able to talk to and question.

#### Consultation Phase

Campaigners from all sides of the topic are able to present their
arguments and be questioned on them.

#### Deliberation and Discussion

Deliberation is a long and careful discussion. The assembly participants
discuss the topic or question they have been given, and talk as a group
on what they through was convincing. This is similar to how a jury
discuss a case once they have been informed by both sides in a trial.

Arguably one of the strengths of a citizens’ assembly is bringing
together a group of people from a differing range of backgrounds to
discuss and deliberate, having been informed by all sides of the
argument, and briefed by experts on the topic.

Often taking place behind closed doors, the deliberation phase allows
for participants to discuss away from external pressures, making
participants feel that they can change their views.

The deliberation and discussion phase allows for nuanced reflection and
informed discussion, often allowing people to change their views.

## Key Characteristics

- Members are invited at random from the general public, in a similar
  way to jury service.
- Broadly representative of the electorate. Covering characteristics
  such as gender, class, ethnicity, and where they live in the country.
- A clear task or question. For example, the Irish Convention on the
  Constitution of 2012–14 asked the Citizens’ Assembly about eight
  specific conditional proposals, including allowing same-sex marriage.
- A set amount of time to complete discussions, meeting at regular
  occasions.
- Members are informed by experts and evidence presented in a balanced
  manner.
- The opportunity for nuanced discussion, informed by evidence.
- Outcomes: a series of recommendations by the assembly often presented
  as a detailed report.
- An Advisory Board comprising of independent experts and campaigners
  from all sides of an issue to consider the information provided to the
  participants.

## How Assemblies are Set Up

Anyone can set up and run a Citizens’ Assembly. The legitimacy, impact,
and outcomes of the assembly however depends on several factors.

An assembly can be formed and run by a national government, such as the
Irish Convention on the Constitution of 2012–14. The Irish Government
accepted six of the recommendations for constitutional change, most
notably on same-sex marriage equality.

A non-governmental organisation such as a charity or campaign group can
set up their own assembly. For example, the UK’s Citizen Assembly on
Brexit, which was facilitated by the UK’s Electoral Reform Society.
(https://citizensassembly.co.uk/brexit/about/)

There are advantages and disadvantages to how an assembly is set up and
by whom. An assembly run by a government could be considered more
legitimate and democratic, it is also able to harness the financial
resources of the state. There is more pressure on the government to
accept and implement the results of an assembly it has created.

In contrast, an assembly organised by a non-governmental organisation
such as a charity can be considered more independent. However there is
no guarantee that a government will accept the results of the assembly
or consider the recommendations.

## Notable Citizens' Assemblies

Ireland has undertaken three citizens’ assemblies.
<https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/>

Abortion in Ireland
<https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/the-irish-abortion-referendum-how-a-citizens-assembly-helped-to-break-years-of-political-deadlock/>

Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform, British Colombia, Canada
<https://citizensassembly.arts.ubc.ca/public.htm>

Citizens’ Assembly on Electoral Reform, Ontario, Canada,
<http://www.citizensassembly.gov.on.ca>

G1000, Belgian Citizens’ Assembly, <http://www.g1000.org>

## Resources

Irish Citizens’ Assembly <https://www.citizensassembly.ie/en/>

Citizens’ Assemblies <https://citizensassembly.co.uk>

Citizens’ Assemblies: <https://citizensassemblies.org>

Wikipedia: <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizens%27_assembly>

Electoral Reform Society, ‘What is a Citizens’ Assembly’,
<https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/what-is-a-citizens-assembly/>. The
organisation has helped run Citizens’ Assemblies in the UK.

Extinction Rebellion Australia, ‘Citizens’ Assemblies’,
<https://ausrebellion.earth/citizens-assemblies/>. Frames citizens'
assemblies as XR's third demand (a citizens' assembly on climate and
ecological justice); also links a downloadable guide covering how
assemblies work at both state and federal levels in Australia.


## See also

- [Sortition](sortition.md)
- [Isegoria](isegoria.md)
- [Cognitive Division of Labour](cognitive-division-of-labour.md)
- [Liquid Democracy](liquid-democracy.md)
- [Consensus Mapping](consensus-mapping.md)
- [newDemocracy Foundation](../organisations/newdemocracy.md)
- [MASS LBP](../organisations/mass-lbp.md)
- [Sortition Foundation](../organisations/sortition-foundation.md)
- [Healthy Democracy](../organisations/healthy-democracy.md)
- [G1000](../organisations/g1000.md)
- [Victoria's Upper House inquiry: the case for a citizens' assembly](../../blog/posts/2026-05-24-vic-upper-house-citizens-assembly.md)
- [Q&A on deliberative democracy for council candidates (Victoria, Australia)](../../blog/posts/2024-09-28-deliberative-democracy-council-candidates-qa.md)
- [Isegoria: how citizens' juries deliver it (Gruen, 2020)](../../blog/posts/2020-03-20.md) — Gruen's proposal for a standing, crowd-funded citizens' assembly
- [Citizens' Democracy (Gruen & Hofkirchner, 2017)](../../blog/posts/2017-08-21-podcast.md)
