site.btaCitizens' Panel on Democratic Resilience Kicks Off in Brussels

The second session of the Citizens' Panel on democratic resilience kicked off on Friday and will end on Sunday. It brings together 150 citizens from the 27 EU Member States who will develop recommendations for strengthening democracy and fostering more active civic participation, the European Commission reported.

Participants will work on four priority areas identified during the first session in September in Brussels: civic participation, bringing citizens and institutions closer together, information and technology, and social cohesion.

Based on previous discussions, a draft introductory statement has been prepared, summarizing citizens' views on the state of democracy and the threats it faces. The document was developed using artificial intelligence based on notes from the working groups and has been reviewed by an editorial group. It is set to be discussed and revised by the entire panel.

Among the main problems identified in the draft are corruption, insufficient transparency, unfulfilled political promises, and weak institutional accountability. Other challenges highlighted include disinformation, manipulation on social media, AI-generated content, the political influence of corporate interests, polarization, and social inequality. In a survey conducted during the meeting, 44% of respondents stated that they fully identified with the draft introductory statement, while another 40% said that it largely reflected their views.

Participants in the discussion emphasized the need for citizens to be more active in democratic processes. Questions were also raised about the impact of international conflicts on democratic values, social inequality, and economic stability.

Results from other civic discussions across Europe were also presented. Among the most discussed topics were civic participation, media literacy, disinformation, social inequality, youth participation, digital sovereignty, and the rule of law. The online platform for civic participation has garnered over 70,000 visits and more than 400 comments.

On Saturday, the participants will develop recommendations in thematic groups, and on Sunday, the results will be presented and discussed. Among the panel participants are four Bulgarians.

The final session is scheduled to take place in Brussels from November 20 to 22.