How It Works: Organizing a Citizens' Assembly

The process reveals participatory democracy mechanics:

Step 1: Mandate Definition - Government/Parliament initiates - Topic delimitation - Powers clarification - Timeline establishment - Budget allocation

Step 2: Participant Selection - Random sortition primary - Stratified sampling - Representative quotas - Voluntary confirmation - Compensation provided

Step 3: Information Phase - Expert hearings - Stakeholder input - Document provision - Site visits possible - Knowledge building

Step 4: Deliberation Process - Small group work - Plenary discussions - Professional facilitation - Consensus seeking - Vote procedures

Step 5: Recommendation Production - Report drafting - Proposal prioritization - Dissent recording - Public presentation - Media coverage

Step 6: Government Response - Official reception - Implementation commitments - Rejection justifications - Parliamentary consideration - Follow-up monitoring

The Climate Convention illustrated both potential (substantive proposals) and limits (selective implementation).