As delivered by Bjørn Berge, Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe

Chair,

Madam Ambassador,

Excellencies,

Panellists,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a pleasure to join you this afternoon for this exchange of views, organised by our Directorate for Democracy, as part of the Secretary General’s New Democratic Pact for Europe.

• Let me start by asking a fundamental question: What does it mean to be truly heard in 2025?
• Is it just about casting a vote, or is it about having a seat at the table where decisions are made about the kind of future we want for ourselves, our children, and our life on our continent?

***

I am pleased to share the stage today with representatives from member states, who are bringing innovative models of public participation to life — taking practical steps that bring citizens closer to the decisions shaping their lives.

Last year, for example, Germany saw more citizens’ assemblies than ever before.

And it is not just about the numbers. It is also about the diverse range of issues these assemblies tackle.

• In Ireland, citizens’ assemblies played a pivotal role in shaping the national debate on abortion and same-sex marriage.
• In France, they have helped navigate sensitive discussions around assisted dying.

And as highlighted by the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, I quote: “Deliberative methods have proved to work very well for specific types of problems that are difficult to resolve in a partisan electoral environment, such as polarised and long-term policy issues.” — end quote.

And this is not only theoretical:

• In Ireland, recommendations from the Citizens’ Assembly directly shaped the 2020 Climate Action Bill.
• In France, several proposals from the Citizens’ Convention for the Climate were reflected in new legislation.
• In the UK, Climate Assembly UK helped frame the Sixth Carbon Budget.

This is how I can see the promise of deliberative democracy can work — by creating a model of democracy that engages all segments of society, including those who are too often underrepresented.

And it is a follow-up of the decision made by our Heads of State and Government in Reykjavík calling for more participatory forms of democratic engagement.

And it is no coincidence that just a few months later, in September 2023, the Committee of Ministers adopted a Recommendation on deliberative democracy.

This Recommendation is helpful, as it outlines how deliberative methods can work in practice, from fair representation to accountability to oversight and good governance.

• We want to support deliberative democracy by setting standards — but also by providing technical assistance and strengthening capacity through targeted cooperation projects.
• And so far over the past decade, we have driven efforts to foster participatory democracy, by supporting Citizens’ Assemblies in Georgia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, and Ukraine — where the assemblies have continued even in wartime.
• We are now exploring opportunities to help launch national-level assemblies in Czechia, Slovenia, and Lithuania.

***

But we can do even more.

• First of all, by mobilising additional political support to deliberative democracy of various kinds.
• Secondly, to build upon the Council of Europe standards, including the Committee of Ministers’ 2023 Recommendation, in designing and implementing these approaches.
• And thirdly, to seek a more ambitious approach by moving from ad hoc implementation to the systematic institutionalisation of deliberative mechanisms — while upholding democratic values and principles such as transparency, accountability, and inclusion.

***

Ladies and Gentlemen, dear friends,

Sometimes it helps to go back to the basics. I believe the Cambridge Dictionary defines deliberative democracy in just two words: a thinking democracy.

If we don’t think, we are lost.

Yet today, across Europe, democracies are struggling to think clearly.

• The polarisation of the political debate is spreading, making it more and more difficult to seek the middle ground and compromises.
• Disinformation is everywhere and it is polluting our mind. Just think about it, in a survey conducted last month by the European Parliament, 76% of the young people said they had encountered fake or misleading news in just the past week.
• Gen Z is no doubt growing disillusioned with us and our democracy. A recent Channel 4 study found that more than half believe “the UK would be a better place if a strong leader was in charge who does not have to bother with parliament and elections.” I don’t think it is necessarily unique only for the UK, as similar results are seen in other European countries as well.

And all of this is unfolding against a backdrop of rising inequality, accelerating climate risks, and a deepening crisis of trust.

***

Which brings me back to the New Democratic Pact for Europe.

Our goal is simple, but urgent: To make democracy more resilient, adaptable, and relevant in the 21st century.

It is a call to you and me — and our fellow citizens around Europe — to renew our commitment to democracy, through an open and critical exchange of views.

Hopefully building upon the European Convention on Human Rights, and the Reykjavík Principles for Democracy.

The aim is that the new European Pact can help us reinforce actual the implementation of the principles of democracy and turn these political commitments into concrete action.

***

Let’s imagine a democracy that looks to the future, powered by the people and protected by the Convention, the Court, our monitoring mechanisms and all that we built up for decades. At the same time, we should be open for new creative ideas and steps to revitalise democracy.

Deliberative democracy could be an important part of that vision — helping us to ensure that all voices are heard and that our democratic systems remain responsive adaptive and inclusive.

Thank you.