EU-CIEMBLY: Creating an Inclusive European Citizens’ Assembly

A healthy democracy is an inclusive democracy

By developing a replicable and flexible framework for the design of citizens’ assemblies, EU-CIEMBLY aims to ensure that all voices—particularly those of underrepresented groups—are heard in democratic decision-making processes.

The project aims to assess existing forms of citizens’ assemblies, and to propose and pilot a prototype EU Citizens’ Assembly that encompasses intersectionality, equality and power relations within its design and delivery. The project began in January 2024 and will run for four years until January 2028.

The project’s vision

The EU-CIEMBLY project responds to the growing need for new forms of citizens’ participation and deliberation in political life. The project seeks to:

• Conduct in-depth research on citizen engagement and on ensuring that the voices of underrepresented groups are effectively included;
• Develop a new model for Citizens' Assemblies that encompasses intersectionality, equality, and high quality deliberation;
• Engage a diverse group of citizens in deliberating on important societal challenges;
• Provide policy recommendations on how to design, deliver, and implement citizens’ assemblies that fully take account of intersectional equality issues.

By fostering more inclusive participation, EU-CIEMBLY is paving the way for more equitable and sustainable governance across Europe.

The role of the University of Essex in the project

As a key partner in EU-CIEMBLY, the University of Essex plays a central role in the project’s research and development. The University of Essex project team is leading two Work Packages of the project, which concern the evaluation of existing citizens’ assembly models at both national and EU level, as well as the design of a prototype EU Citizens’ Assembly model that fully takes account of intersectional equality issues in its design, delivery, and implementation.

The interdisciplinary team from the University of Essex has extensive experience in conducting research on European Union law, democratic innovations and participatory governance, as well as the role of citizens in contributing to legal, political, and social change.

The team is led by Dr Anastasia Karatzia and Dr Niall O’Connor from Essex Law School, and includes Professor Illeana Steccolini and Dr Rebecca Warren from Essex Business School, as well as Senior Research Officer, Dr Samantha Woodward.

Get involved

Whether you're a citizen, policymaker, researcher, or simply someone passionate about democracy, we invite you to follow our progress and get involved in EU-CIEMBLY.

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Project partners

• Universidade de Coimbra (Portugal)
• University of Essex (UK)
• Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain)
• European Citizens Action Service (Belgium)
• University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg (South Africa)
• Institute for Methods Innovation (Ireland)
• Aspon Consulting Ltd (Cyprus)
• Università Degli Studi di Bergamo (Italy)
• Victoria University of Wellington (New Zealand)
• University of Waikato (New Zealand)
• Make.org (France)