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In times of geopolitical turbulence and growing democratic challenges, Europe faces a crucial question: Should a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly be established alongside the European Parliament?
On 14 October, Members of the European Parliament, EU officials, academics, and citizens will gather in Brussels to debate how citizens’ assemblies could strengthen Europe’s democratic fabric and shape the future of democratic innovation worldwide.
Co-organised by the European Parliament and Democratic Odyssey, this roundtable will reflect on the outcomes of a year-long democratic experiment across Europe and ask whether a new permanent institution could enrich and scrutinise parliamentary work.
A Democratic Experiment Across Europe
The roundtable builds on the Democratic Odyssey’s pilot Assembly, which brought together 300 randomly selected citizens from across Europe and beyond in Athens, Florence, Vienna, and online.
The Assembly produced a Citizen’s Charter with 10 democratic pathways, a roadmap calling for the establishment of a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly. This body would act as a “magnifying chamber”, ensuring that citizen deliberation complements the work of elected representatives.
“This charter is both a roadmap and a call to action: Europe must build spaces where citizens and institutions work side by side to renew democracy.”
Event Highlights
Reflections from MEPs and experts on the state of EU democracy.
Presentation of the Democratic Odyssey pilot Assembly and its Citizen’s Charter.
Debate on the feasibility, opportunities, and challenges of a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly.
Key Participants
Members of the European Parliament: Sandro Gozi (others TBC, including members of AFCO and the Spinelli Group).
European Commission representatives (TBC).
Democratic Odyssey members: Kalypso Nicolaïdis, Yves Mathieu, and others.
Citizens’ Council members, including alumni from the Democratic Odyssey Assembly and the Conference on the Future of Europe.
Practical Information
📅 Date: Tuesday 14 October 2025, 10:00–12:00 📍 Venue: European Parliament, Brussels 👥 Participants: Approx. 30–50, including MEPs, EU officials, citizens, and civil society stakeholders
The Democratic Odyssey is a pan-European initiative piloting new models of citizen participation, inspired by Europe’s democratic traditions and innovations worldwide. Through assemblies, citizens’ councils, and partnerships with institutions, it aims to lay the foundations for a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly.
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Projects
Democratic Odyssey
A decentralised, collaborative and transparent exercise of crowdsourcing and co-creation which seeks to institutionalise a permanent peoples’ assembly and participatory ecosystem in Europe
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