Democratic Resilience: Why Citizen Engagement Matters More Than Ever 

More countries are experiencing democratic decline than improvement,  levels of political polarisation are rising, trust in public institutions is decreasing, and space for citizen participation is shrinking. While formal democratic systems often remain in place, their quality is weakening, as reported by the V-Dem Democracy 2026 report. 

Considering this worrying trend, it is important to highlight that democracy is not only about institutions, but about values and everyday practice. Democratic resilience depends on how well societies protect and strengthen core values such as participation, inclusion, transparency, and accountability. Local governments and their citizens play an important role in upholding those values and strengthening democratic practices. In this article, we take a closer look at how public engagement through citizens’ assemblies can support democratic resilience in times of autocratisation.

Citizens discussing during the Citizens’ assembly in Heerlen, The Netherlands. Photo credits: Sirella Dieteren

Democracy needs practice, not just policy

During a time where the repression of civil society is surging globally, local governments play an important role in safeguarding democratic principles and practices (V-Dem Democracy Report 2026).

Democratic systems can only function when citizens trust that their voices matter. This trust is built through experience: When people are included in decision-making, when governments communicate openly, and when institution respond to the diverse needs of communities.

Next to more traditional democratic mechanisms such as elections, local governments can strengthen the relationship with their citizens and facilitate meaningful participation through more innovative forms of deliberative engagement, such as citizens’ assemblies. Citizens’ assemblies bring together a diverse group of citizens to discuss complex issues and provide recommendations to their (local) government.

Citizens’ assemblies: 

• Create space for dialogue and allow people who are often not represented in traditional political processes to contribute.

• Improve the quality of decision-making

• Help (re)-build trust by showing that citizen input is taken seriously

“Participation in citizens’ assemblies can enhance citizens’ sense of democratic efficacy: they come to recognize that their voice, concerns, needs and perspectives matter, and that they are able to play a meaningful role in democratic decision-making. Some evaluations do indicate that participants of citizens’ assemblies report higher levels of trust in local democratic institutions after taking part.”

Tess Schijvenaars, advisor at EMMA and expert in the Citizen Participation and Inclusive Governance course

Participants discussing during the deliberation session of the National Citizens’ Assembly on Climate policy in the Netherlands

Citizens’ Assemblies in Practice: Cases from The Netherlands, Ghana and Armenia

Provided governments communicate clearly about the reasons for citizens’ assemblies and the follow up actions, are transparent about the selection criteria, and assign a clear political mandate to it, citizens’ assemblies can be an effective democratic tool.

Successful examples from different contexts are:

• In the Netherlands, citizens’ assemblies are often used at the local level to discuss issues such as climate policy, urban development, or energy transition. Recent topics for citizens’ assemblies include one about the use of fireworks during New Year’s Eve in Utrecht, clean city in Amsterdam, climate change in The Hague and Rotterdam, waster policy in Groningen, and a National Citizens’ Assembly on climate policy in 2025.

Infographic made for the National Citizen’s Assembly on Climate in 2025. Credits: Nationaal Burgerberaad Klimaat

• In Armenia, the “Convention of the Future Armenian” was a national citizens’ assembly held in 2023. The first of its kind in the country brought together 200 citizens living in Armenia and in the diaspora for three days of deliberation, which resulted in 40 recommendations for the government.

Watch a video about Armenia’s first national citizens’ assembly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41QVJiMLIgo

• In Kerewan, The Gambia, last year the national citizens’ assembly on climate change for the The Great Green Wall initiative invited citizens of all ages, genders, and socio-economic backgrounds to deliberate on the measures against desertification. The sortition process ensured that all districts within Kerewan were represented by six people from each six villages per district. From this first selection, a randomised draw was conducted to invite 30 participants to the assembly.

Watch a video about Kerewan’s citizens’s assembly here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3-7A2Ty9z0Y

In conclusion: Democratic resilience in practice

These examples from around the world show that democratic resilience can be strengthened through meaningful participation. The findings from the V-Dem Democracy 2026 report make clear that democratic resilience cannot be taken for granted and local governments must take an active role in fostering citizen engagement. Citizen assemblies are a great example that show that democratic values can and must be actively practiced.