From my article in The Sunday Times yesterday:
“Citizens’ assemblies were tested in Ireland before the abortion referendum. Ordinary people were found to have legitimate views and were capable of informed opinions after hearing the evidence and the arguments. The process of letting ordinary people speak and participate in the decision brought national unity over an inherently divisive decision. In Iceland, citizens’ assemblies allowed the public to participate in the rebuilding of their polity after the gross humiliations of the crises that country faced, at least in part through the heritage of greedy or incompetent politicians.
“The European Commission is calling citizens’ assemblies to hear the views of ordinary people about the cost of fighting climate change, regulating artificial intelligence, and several other crucial matters of public and community life. Proponents of citizens’ assemblies around the world are promoting the idea as a rejuvenating injection for our dwindling democracies.”