Democratic innovations in Estonia and Finland: Citizens’ Initiatives and Citizens’ Assemblies
Citizen initiatives stand as established innovations, with Finland’s 12 years and Estonia’s 10 years of experience, but they require further evolution. Deliberative mini-publics, widely regarded as one of the most prevalent democratic innovations globally, are still maturing in Estonia and Finland. What’s the next phase for citizen initiatives and assemblies?
Essential progress involves identifying necessary developments to enhance their impact. Additionally, merging these mechanisms with each other as well as with other innovations is crucial. By fostering synergy between CIs, CAs, and complementary democratic practices, we can cultivate a more robust and participatory democratic landscape in two Nordic countries and beyond.
The participants in the discussion were: Onni Pekonen (Sitra), Maarja-Leena Saar (Estonian Cooperation Assembly), Teele Pehk (DD Center for Democracy ) participated in the discussion. Moderator: Bart Cosijn (founder of the Estonian Dialogue Academy).
Watch the conversation here:
