G1000 : a bottom-up approach to citizens' participation

I contributed to a special publication by CRISP (Centre de Recherche et d'Information Socio-Politiques) that examines the G1000 experience — a groundbreaking initiative in participatory and deliberative democracy in Belgium.

In 2011, amidst a political stalemate that left Belgium without a fully functioning government for 541 days, the G1000 project culminated in a large-scale citizen summit on November 11th. Held at Tour & Taxis in Brussels, the event brought together 704 randomly selected citizens to debate pressing societal issues such as social security, wealth distribution during times of crisis, and immigration.

The G1000 was not just a one-day event. It also included smaller local summits (G'Offs) and an online forum (G'Home), allowing for broader public participation. The deliberations continued in the months that followed through the G32, a panel of 32 citizens tasked with transforming the ideas generated at the summit into concrete recommendations. These recommendations were presented to the public and parliamentary leaders on November 11, 2012.

What made the G1000 unique was its citizen-led approach — it was entirely designed and implemented "by and for citizens," without governmental involvement. The initiative remains the largest deliberative democracy project ever organized in Belgium, embodying the principles of deliberative democracy: fostering public debate and empowering citizens to engage in meaningful deliberations on critical societal issues.

This CRISP report provides a comprehensive overview of the G1000 process, from its theoretical underpinnings and organizational structure to its execution and outcomes. It also delves into the broader impacts of the initiative — media coverage, public engagement, political responses, and societal influence.

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