The German Bundestag uses Citizens' Assemblies to obtain direct feedback from the center of society on a specific political issue, going beyond conventional methods such as opinion polls and lobbying.
Participants are drawn at random from the entire population of German residents aged 16 and above, thus the diversity of society can statistically be represented as well as possible. The objective is to involve also individuals who are typically less vocal in public discourse. Within the Citizens' Assembly, people with different life and professional backgrounds, who would not typically meet in other circumstances, exchange views. This way, potential compromises and proposals that could gain majority support become visible.
The Citizens' Assembly develops a citizens' report with specific recommendations for action. These recommendations feed into the parliamentary debate. What is implemented and what is not, however, is ultimately decided by the members of the German Bundestag alone.
