Executive Summary
Introduction to Deliberative Democracy in the Basque Country
The document "Promoting Deliberative Democracy in the Basque Country in Spain" highlights the implementation of deliberative democracy practices in the Basque Country, specifically focusing on the Tolosa Citizens' Assembly and the Gipuzkoa Provincial Council's deliberative pilot. The initiative aims to empower citizens and enhance public decision-making through innovative forms of collaboration between public authorities and non-governmental stakeholders.
Key Points
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OECD's Role: The OECD, recognizing the importance of citizen participation and deliberation in promoting democracy and trust, developed the Recommendation on Open Government in 2017, which guides countries in designing and implementing open government agendas.
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Basque Country's Tradition: The Basque Country has a history of collaboration between public authorities and stakeholders, employing various participatory methods. The province of Gipuzkoa initiated deliberative processes as early as 1993, showcasing the region's commitment to democratic innovation.
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Deliberative Pilot Projects:
- Tolosa Citizens' Assembly: A municipal-level experiment involving randomly selected citizens to deliberate and recommend solutions to public problems.
- Gipuzkoa Provincial Level: An initiative aimed at institutionalizing and systematizing the use of civic lotteries and deliberation in public policy.
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Objectives and Long-term Vision:
- The primary goal was to experiment with democratic innovations, while the overarching aim is to empower citizens, promote collaborative governance, and deepen democracy through systematic use of deliberation.
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Collaboration and Support: The project received support from Arantzazulab, a democracy and governance innovation laboratory, and contributions from various civil servants, academics, and international organizations.
Conclusions and Future Directions
The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the deliberative pilots conducted in Gipuzkoa and Tolosa, suggesting strategies for moving from experimental phases to permanent public deliberation. It acknowledges the significant contributions from key stakeholders and underscores the Basque Country's pioneering role in fostering democratic innovation and enhancing citizen engagement.
