EU Citizens' Panel to strengthen democracy

Since September 18, 2026, a randomly selected Citizens’ Panel has been deliberating on measures to strengthen democracy in the European Union (EU). Until the end of the year, all EU residents can submit their questions and ideas on the subject online and at events organised on the topic.

“Democracy is the cornerstone of the European Union and key to building peace, security, and shared prosperity. More than a system of governance, democracy is our way of life - safeguarding rights and freedoms and fostering open and just societies,” states the EU’s participation platform.

Protecting democracy: a shared responsibility

Yet democracy does not thrive on its own. It depends on active civic engagement, trustworthy information, independent media, free and fair elections, and resilient institutions. And in a rapidly changing world, democracy demands continuous adaptation and reinforcement.

Protecting democracy and building the democratic resilience of citizens, societies and institutions is an urgent and shared responsibility. 

Four key priorities

During the first session of the Citizens' Panel, four key priorities emerged : 

1. Civic education and political literacy

Everyone needs the knowledge and skills to take part in democratic life - from early civic education to lifelong learning.  

2. Reducing the gap between citizens & institutions

More meaningful ways to participate and have real impact, and for institutions and politicians that keep their commitments and can be trusted.  

3. Navigating information and technology

Stronger media literacy and independent media are key to a healthy information space alongside the challenges of AI and digital sovereignty.

4. Building a society that holds together  

Participants emphasized tackling socio-economic inequalities, strengthening communities and a sense of belonging, and making democracy and society more resilient in times of crisis.

These priorities will guide citizens in developing concrete recommendations.

Putting people at the center

"Citizens are the heartbeat of European democracy, and this Panel shows the importance of involving different voices from across the EU to shape our future," said Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security, and Democracy, at the launch of the Citizens’ Forum. “In a world where democracies are under pressure, including from online threats such as disinformation, manipulation, and polarisation, people can make the difference, by speaking and staying connected with one another.”

Michael McGrath, EU Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law, and Consumer Protection, added: “With this Panel, we are putting people at the heart of our work. We want to hear directly from citizens about their experiences, ideas and concerns for the health of our future democracies. This is democracy in action: giving people a real say in how we protect what matters. Together we can ensure that our democracies remain open, fair, and alive”.

Online debate

An online debate invites interested parties to share their views, experiences and ideas on how to strengthen democratic resilience across Europe. Perspectives on key aspects of democratic life, such as access to reliable information, media literacy, awareness of citizens’ rights, participation in decision-making, and the skills needed to engage in democracy in a digital world can be contributed. 

This debate follows up on the European Democracy Shield. It will feed into ongoing and future EU initiatives aimed at strengthening democracy and will inform future participatory processes.

The Citizens’ Forum will meet from September to November 2026. Contributions from the online debate and events will feed into the Forum. The mini-public will discuss the contributions from the online debate and the in-person events and make recommendations to the European Commission.

Timeline

The European Citizens’ Panel on Democratic Resilience takes place over three weekends between September and November 2026.     

18-20 September     

Session 1 - Brussels: Understanding the topic of democratic resilience and what it means in everyday life. Identifying main challenges that the Panel should focus on.     

16-18 October     

Session 2 - online: Building on the discussions from Session 1 and exploring what can help people and communities take part in democratic life and strengthen resilience. Starting to develop recommendations based on the priorities identified by the Panel.     

20-22 November     

Closing Session - Brussels: Drawing conclusions of debates and refining the ideas into final recommendations to the European Commission. Explanation of next steps – how will the recommendations be used in policy making.

Door-to-door

From 22 May to 7 June 2026, the Sortition Foundation was on the road to recruit participants for the Citizens’ Forum. In collaboration with local partners across the EU, they knocked on doors and approached citizens from 150 randomly selected locations in all EU countries.

From the original pool of interested individuals, the final group of Citizens’ Assembly members were selected at random to reflect the diversity of the EU population, taking into account gender, education, occupation and the spectrum between rural and urban areas.