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thorstensterk.bsky.social
Thorsten Sterk
@thorstensterk.bsky.social
1.8K followers 1K following 2.8K posts
It‘s the democracy, stupid!

www.buergerrat.de/en
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thorstensterk.bsky.social
Thorsten Sterk @thorstensterk.bsky.social · Nov 18
Hello BlueSky, I made a starter pack of riders of the deliberative wave. Anyone missing?
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In a referendum held in the Canadian province of Yukon, a majority of voters voted in favour of electoral reform. Following a recommendation by a Citizens' Assembly, 56.1 per cent voted in favour of changing the electoral system.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/yuko...

#CitizensAssembly
November 13, 2025 at 4:46 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
On 7 November, a citizens' jury on the topic of ‘Heat protection in Marzahn-Nord’ will begin in the Berlin district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf. At the end of the process, a resident survey will be conducted on the recommendations of the mini-public.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/citi...

#CitizensAssembly
November 6, 2025 at 1:08 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
What role should citizens' assemblies play in Germany in the future? This topic will be discussed in workshops on randomised citizen participation from 12 to 26 November. We cordially invite you to attend.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/citi...

#CitizensAssembly
November 5, 2025 at 6:57 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
“Election means equal right to consent to be ruled. Sortition means equal chance to exercise rule itself” - great read by @nickcoccoma.bsky.social.

#CitizensAssembly
What is Democracy?
Sortition is fundamental
democraticconstitutionblog.substack.com
October 30, 2025 at 11:50 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
Can mini-publics strengthen trust in democracy? Andreas Meinlschmidt from @offenegesellschaft.bsky.social reports on the results of a study on the Bördehalle citizens' jury in Welver.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/a-ci...

#CitizensAssembly
October 20, 2025 at 8:37 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
On October 28th. the panel ‚On the road towards COP 30: engaging citizens in global climate negotiations‘ explores the possibilities and tensions of direct citizen engagement in global climate governance.

eveeno.com/110452876

#CitizensAssembly
On the road towards COP: Engaging citizens in global climate negotiations
a panel featuring Nicole Curato (University of Birmingham), Bernardo Jurema (RIFS Potsdam), Andreas Bummel* (Democracy without Borders), and Azucena Moran (RIFS Potsdam)moderated by Melisa Ross (Uni...
eveeno.com
October 14, 2025 at 9:50 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In the German city of Greifswald. sixty residents of the city, selected at random, will have the opportunity to contribute their perspectives, ideas and wishes for the Greifswald of tomorrow until 2028.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/brin...

#CitizensAssembly
October 10, 2025 at 11:16 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
How can Europe be made fairer across all generations? Learn about the European Citizens‘ Panel ‚Intergenerational Fairness‘ by joining this @meeteu.bsky.social online event on October 14th.

meeteu.eu/events#post-...

Background: www.buergerrat.de/en/news/trea...

#CitizensAssembly
October 10, 2025 at 8:37 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
Should a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly be established alongside the European Parliament?

Register now to participate in this this roundtable on October 14th in
Brussels in-person or online!

#CitizensAssembly
Democracy in Crisis: Should a Permanent European Citizens’ Assembly Supplement the European Parliament? - European Alternatives
A European Parliament – Democratic Odyssey Roundtable📍 European Parliament, Brussels🗓️ Tuesday 14 October 2025 | 10:00 – 12:00 REGISTER HERE TO PARTICIPATE ON-SITE REGISTER HERE TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE ...
euroalter.com
October 9, 2025 at 9:51 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
Belgium has been a trailblazer in the establishment of permanent and institutional citizens’ assemblies. Find out more on 14 October via @europe.fidemocracy.org YouTube Live Stream!

www.youtube.com/live/UCxYhnK...

#CitizensAssembly
Permanent Assemblies in Belgium
YouTube video by FIDE - Federation for Innovation in Democracy
www.youtube.com
October 8, 2025 at 1:55 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In the German city of Aachen, a citizens' assembly recommends the introduction of free public transport for recipients of transfer payments, disabled people, children and trainees.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/make...

#CitizensAssembly
October 8, 2025 at 8:14 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
„One-off assemblies are like one healthy meal. Better than nothing, but it won’t give you a healthy lifestyle. To rebuild trust in democracy, we need something lasting.“

Read @cchwalisz.bsky.social interview with David Van Reybrouck on the future of citizens‘ assemblies.

#CitizensAssembly
Democracy’s next wave: A conversation with David Van Reybrouck
From sortition to preferendums, Van Reybrouck speaks with Claudia Chwalisz about why citizens must be at the heart of 21st-century democracy
substack.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:13 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In the German state of Saarland, a Citizens' Assembly has developed proposals for achieving climate protection targets. The results were presented to the state parliament on 29 September 2025.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/crea...

#CitizensAssembly
September 30, 2025 at 11:19 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
DemocracyNext is working with three local authorities on a project to democratise urban planning through citizens' assemblies.

The organisation will be providing information about this in online events on 30 September and 2 October.

www.buergerrat.de/en/events/

#CitizensAssembly
September 25, 2025 at 3:32 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
From 26 to 28 September 2025, 100 young people from across the EU will gather in Brussels for the first time to discuss the decline of wild pollinating insects and develop recommendations for action on this issue for the EU institutions.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/youn...

#CitizensAssembly
September 25, 2025 at 10:28 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
On 20 September 2025, the second Citizens' Jury of the Hanseatic city of Lüneburg will begin. The topic to be addressed by the 30 participants: Consumption-free places for children in the city centre.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/citi...

#CitizensAssembly
September 19, 2025 at 10:30 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
With the LOSLAND project, @mehrdemokratie.bsky.social and @rifs-potsdam.bsky.social have supported local authorities throughout Germany in shaping a future fit for their grandchildren with mini-publics. The English version of the project brochure is now available

www.rifs-potsdam.de/en/output/pu...
September 4, 2025 at 7:47 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
Join me on September 11th in Cologne!

#CitizensAssembly
democracyintl.bsky.social Democracy International e.V. @democracyintl.bsky.social · Sep 3
THE event you need to attend! 🎉

Together, we’ll explore:
✅ How German citizens participate in national democracy
✅ Tools to influence EU decision-making
✅ Lessons we can learn from each other — and turn into action

Don’t miss it and sign up: democracy.community/forms/join-u...
September 3, 2025 at 5:46 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
The American ballot initiative is a powerful tool. But it is also broken. To preserve the ballot initiative and its democratic promise, its defenders need an answer. They may find it in citizens’ assemblies.

#CitizensAssembly
Putting the Initiative Back Together - Harvard Law Review
The American ballot initiative is a powerful tool. Initiatives can innovate: Four states can credit ballot initiatives for legislative redistricting commissions that removed redistricting...
harvardlawreview.org
September 2, 2025 at 1:57 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
What democratic Innovation not only in the USA should look like.

Follow @north.america.fidemocracy.org to learn more!

#CitizensAssembly
What is a Citizens' Assembly? Making the case for a democratic innovation
YouTube video by FIDE - Federation for Innovation in Democracy
youtu.be
August 28, 2025 at 1:31 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
Other German states already have them, and now Brandenburg is set to follow suit: randomly selected citizens' assemblies. The state parliament is expected to pass a resolution to this effect in September 2025.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/bran...

#CitizensAssembly
August 1, 2025 at 8:36 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In the German state of Baden-Württemberg, a randomly selected citizens' forum is calling for an extension of non-smoker protection.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/non-...

#CitizensAssembly
July 29, 2025 at 5:18 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
How can open-mindedness, diversity and tolerance be made visible in Neubrandenburg? This question has been under discussion for some time. On 23 July 2025, a Citizens' Jury submitted its recommendations on this issue to the city council.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/goal...

#CitizensAssembly
July 23, 2025 at 6:56 PM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
An EU Citizens' Panel on intergenerational justice will begin in September. Interested parties can submit their ideas and visions online until the end of July.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/trea...

#CitizensAssembly
July 18, 2025 at 7:59 AM
thorstensterk.bsky.social
In an appeal to the German federal government, the Initiative for an Effective State calls for the increased use of citizens' assemblies.

www.buergerrat.de/en/news/stre...

#CitizensAssembly
July 15, 2025 at 9:28 AM