Brandenburg relies on citizens' councils: politicians and citizens in dialogue!

Brandenburg relies on citizens' councils: politicians and citizens in dialogue!

In Brandenburg something is happening on the political front! The Brandenburg President of the Landtag Ulrike Liedtke from the SPD has big plans to promote citizen participation. Her goal: the introduction of citizens' councils that are supposed to bring fresh wind into political say. It is said to be more than just empty words - it is about acting people who have little to actively involve politics. Democracy should no longer be something for interested or initiates, but should also be made accessible to the normal citizen. According to RBB24, these citizens' councils should consist of around 50 randomly selected Brandenburg citizens and discuss a specific topic over a period of three months.

What can the participants expect? Experts should support the citizens' councils in order to support their recommendations. The whole aims to develop a recommendation for action, which is then discussed in the petition committee and in the specialist committees of the parliament. In the 2025 budget, 100,000 euros are already planned for this. A well -planned step to strengthen participation and at the same time deepen understanding of democratic processes.

variety of topics and different voices

The selection of topics for the citizens' councils could be far more exciting than some think: from rural development to animal protection to the use of artificial intelligence - there is enough fabric to discuss controversy and explosive questions. The support for this idea comes from the SPD and the BSW. But not all parties are enthusiastic - while the AfD dismiss the citizens' councils as "replacement parliamentarianism" and demand more direct democracy, the CDU is skeptical and refers to existing opportunities for participation.

But is this initiative so important? According to the political education of Brandenburg, citizen councils serve to expand direct and representative democracy. They form a form of citizen participation, which is intended to enable members to influence democratic processes. The participants are selected by a lottery procedure, which should guarantee a broader representation of the population. This has the advantage that people can come together from a wide variety of life realities and bring in their perspectives.

criticism and opportunities of the citizens' councils

However, there are critics who express concerns. They argue that citizen councils are not elected democratically and therefore do not meet a central feature of democracy. It is also noted that the participants do not take responsibility for decisions and cannot be held accountable. One of the initiative "More Democracy e.V." Preliminary warning states that it can lead to frustration if the results of the citizens' councils are not taken seriously or ignored in political practice. However, more and more movement in political space can be felt for healing misunderstandings in discourse on citizens' councils and the quality of the processes.

How do citizens perceive the whole thing? According to [BPB] (https://www.bpb.de/shop/zeitschratten/apuz/democracy-jeßeit-jahlen-2024/552910/buergerraete-in- theory-und-praxis/), the majority of the population are supported by Citizens' Councils that take place on various political levels. This shows that there is definitely a demand for more say and influence. In countries such as Ireland or France, citizens' councils are already being worked on. Citizens can actively participate in the political design there and thus contribute to the further development of democracy.

summarized the introduction of citizens' councils in Brandenburg is a step in the right direction to strengthen citizen participation and sharpen political awareness. However, the challenge remains to select concrete topics that build on the reality of life of the citizens and at the same time promote the dialogue between different voices. It will be exciting to observe how this new form of citizen participation is developing and woven into the political landscape.