Towards permanent deliberative democracy in Belgium: From the G1000 to the Ostbelgien Model
(2019) School of Politics and International Relations Seminar — Location: Australian National University, Canberra (23.May.2019)
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- Abstract
- Democratic innovations are on the rise in most Western democracies. Belgium, like Australia, has always been a land of democratic innovations. Back in the 19th century, both countries were pioneers with compulsory voting, electoral formulae or the - Australian - ballot. In the beginning of the 21st century, both countries are witnessing moves in the direction of a more deliberative democracy. In Belgium, the G1000, a citizen-led experiment, set deliberative democracy on the political agenda. In this wake, all parliaments of the country have initiated deliberative mini-publics. More recently the Ostbelgien modell was fostered, that is the Parliament of the German-speaking community has enacted a permanent system of deliberative democracy that will start in September 2019: a randomly selected body of 24 citizens will work next to the existing elected parliament made of 25 MPs. These democratic innovations set the pace for a renewal of democratic dynamics in practice.
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Citations
Reuchamps, M. (2019). Towards permanent deliberative democracy in Belgium: From the G1000 to the Ostbelgien Model. School of Politics and International Relations Seminar, Australian National University, Canberra. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/243494