In recent times, the European Union has recognized the paramount significance of citizen participation in preserving and strengthening its democratic foundations. In a system where the voices and concerns are pivotal, especially those of the younger generation, fostering active participation has become a pressing concern. The European Union must evolve into an entity that citizens perceive as a beacon of hope rather than a confining structure that leaves them disconnected and disenchanted.
The Paradox of Blindness
Renowned Portuguese writer José Saramago’s novel “Blindness” offers a compelling metaphor that can be used as well for the current state of citizen participation in the European Union. In the story, the citizens aren’t physically blind, but their actions, particularly casting blank votes, suggest a form of metaphorical blindness. This metaphor prompts us to consider whether those citizens are genuinely blind to the importance of their participation or if they possess the potential for deeper insight. This metaphor echoes the situation where citizens, while endowed with the right to vote and engage in politics, often remain politically apathetic or opt to blank votes.
Saramago’s quote, “I don’t think we did go blind; I think we are blind, Blind but seeing, Blind people who can see, but do not see”, succinctly encapsulates the paradox of citizen participation. It emphasizes that citizens have the tools to participate but might not fully comprehend the profound influence their engagement can exert on the democratic framework. Conversely, they may have specific motives, such as a distrust in politicians, that dissuade them from exercising their voting rights.
The Problematic Situation
This paradox is at the heart of the problematic situation facing the European Union. A pervasive lack of trust and the sense of “losing hope” in political options, particularly among young people, threatens the integrity of the democratic process. If the younger generation feels unheard of or marginalized, it poses a substantial risk to the EU’s cohesion.
Proposed Solutions
The European Union “wants to reform itself to face up to the challenges of the 21st century”. This necessity was a focal point of discussion during the Conference on the Future of Europe, where citizens from across the bloc convened to deliberate on the workings of the EU and the changes it should undertake.
A key concept underscored by Colin Scicluna during a recent EPC conference on citizen participation is that: “democracy is not a static entity; it requires continuous evolution and adaptation”. This perspective underlines the need for ongoing improvements in the democratic process.
In response, the European Union is actively exploring solutions to enhance citizen engagement and reinforce the sense of belonging to the Union:
- The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a platform that was introduced for the Lisbon Treaty, in 2007, the goal is to allow EU citizens to engage in ongoing initiatives proposed by others and contribute with their own ideas for potential EU law proposals. The ECI Forum offers important information and guidance for launching or discussing citizens’ initiatives. Overall, for proposing new legislation, you need to gather 1 million signatures and it must include a minimum of seven EU citizens, residents in a minimum of seven EU countries. After that the Commission is obligated to determine the course of action in six months.
- The European Citizen’s Panels it brings together a new era of citizen involvement. These panels assemble randomly selected citizens from all 27 member states to engage in discussions at the European level about vital upcoming proposals that impact the lives of all Europeans. In these panels, participants collaborate in small groups and larger plenaries, guided by a facilitation team. Through these discussions, citizens provide recommendations for the European Commission to consider when shaping policies and initiatives. The recruitment process ensures diversity and representation, drawing participants from various demographics and geographic locations, ensuring that these panels mirror the socio-demographic composition of the EU. These panels offer an inclusive platform for citizens to actively contribute to EU decision-making processes. The goal is to establish additional deliberative processes such as the European Citizens’ Panels.
- The Role of Europe Direct Contact Centre (EDCC): The EDCC acts as a vital conduit for citizen engagement, bridging the gap between citizens and EU institutions. It serves as a crucial mean of communication, fostering dialogue and interaction. The EDD provides citizens with direct and accessible channels to get in touch with the EU. In this way, it ensures that citizens, regardless of their location within or outside the EU, can voice their concerns, seek information, and engage in some subject matter. The EDCC focuses on addressing a diverse range of topics that reflect citizens’ interests and inquiries. These topics encompass individual rights, opportunities, and policy areas that directly impact citizens’ lives. The EDCC’s cooperation with European institutions, including the European Parliament, Council, and External Action Service, mirrors the collaborative spirit seen in the conferences. It underlines the significance of coordination and dialogue between different EU bodies to effectively engage with citizens.
- The OECD Reinforcing Democracy Initiative, launched at the 2022 OECD Global Forum and Ministerial on Building Trust and Strengthening Democracy, addresses the mounting challenges faced by democratic systems worldwide. This initiative offers evidence-based guidance and international best practices to strengthen democratic values and institutions. This initiative, organize into five key pillars, focuses on combating misinformation, enhancing representation and participation in public life, addressing foreign influence, addressing environmental challenges, and improving governance in the digital age.
- EU Youth Dialogue to include young people in the EU legislative process, this is a tool that exists but is not very known yet, is a valuable tool that currently remains relatively unknown. It is imperative that efforts are made to increase its visibility and utilization.
- The EU Youth Test stands out as a crucial initiative with the objective of evaluating the influence of EU policies on the younger generation. The goal behind is a simple one, “fix the gap between young people and the EU institutions, and for all the future generations to feel that policies have a relevance to them”.
- According to a statement of the European Youth Forum, they “would also like to see young people on top of the election lists”. This highlights their strong emphasizes on youth representation in electoral processes.
- The European Agora is “an annual “structured participation mechanism” composed of citizens”. It functions as a deliberative platform to discuss the European Union’s priorities for the upcoming year, offering valuable insights to inform the Commission’s work plan.
- Creating a single destination where all European participatory instruments are consolidated and implementing an institutional framework to oversee this central hub and its engagement with citizens. The goal is that this one-stop-shop “reduce fragmentation of the participation infrastructure and increase their accessibility”.
- Conducting Europe-wide referendums concerning critical EU policies, alongside pan-European online citizens’ consultations, to enhance public understanding of the EU and bolster confidence in EU decision-making.
- The concept of a participatory budget has been explored, but it has primarily been implemented at the municipal level to encourage citizens to suggest and vote on initiatives. Professor Alberto Alemanno maintains optimism regarding the prospects of participatory budgeting and says that it “has a future beyond local” sphere, and a potential expansion to both national and European scales.
These are some of the principal solutions, but it’s important to note that there are numerous additional ideas, measures, and tools that have been discussed thus far.
Critique of Emerging Participation Tools
Nevertheless, these participatory tools are often referred to as “complementary tools”. Their primary aim is to enhance democracy rather than replace it. The intention is not to supplant the existing system of representative liberal parliamentary democracy. Despite this, many legislators and other individuals remain skeptical about the emerging concept of “participatory democracy”. As EPP lawmaker Paulo Rangel cautions, “When we speak about referendums, about permanent agoras, there is the risk that we evolve from a representative democracy to a direct democracy”. He further asserts, “history has always taught us the first step to dictatorship is direct democracy”.
While there are valid concerns about the implications of participatory democracy, it remains crucial to recognize its potential to enhance transparency in decision-making processes. The success of this endeavor hinges on leader’ willingness “to share power with their citizens and put effective co-decision tools in place”.
Kalypso Nicolaïdis has shed light on a potential challenge emerged during the EPC Conference on Citizen Participation in the EU. Citizens often prioritize topics closely tied to their daily lives, as seen in concerns like food waste. However, is necessary a change of the perspective to unlocking the full benefits of participatory democracy in the EU context. So, it´s necessary to believe that the “average person is capable of contributing to policy discussions”, and in the other hand, understanding “how innovative thinking can benefit governments”.
Conclusion
The European Union’s dedication to providing tools and means for greater citizen inclusion is evident, ushering in a new era of active participation. This approach has yielded significant success in empowering citizens, making them more aware, interested, and receptive to the idea, ultimately recognizing the value of belonging to a member state and the benefits it entails.
However, the primary challenge lies in inspiring meaningful exercise of democratic rights, especially among the youth. It’s not just about providing citizens with the tools and rights; it’s about fostering understanding and motivation. In doing so, the European Union can realize its ultimate goal of enhanced citizen participation, becoming a true beacon of democratic hope for the entire bloc. This aspiration is crucial at a time when the European Union fazes significant challenges.
The paradox of “blind but seeing” citizens underscore the importance of education and awareness initiatives. These efforts are essential to help citizens fully grasp the significance of their participation and to guide them towards actively shaping the future of the European Union.
You can read the European Commission’s Report about European Direct Contact Centre (EDCC) here:
You can see the video of the conference about ‘Citizen Participation in the EU: Learning from the European citizens’ Panels here:
https://epc.eu/en/past-events/Citizen-participation-in-the-EU-Learning~530200
You can see the video of the conference about ‘Reviving Democracy: Modernising European Institutions for a More Participatory Europe’ here:
You can see the report, made by C4EP, about the Conference of European Movement International with the subject ‘Reviving Democracy: Modernising European Institutions for a More Participatory Europe?’ here: