France
Ville de Bourges
The city of Bourges (France) has a new instance of participatory democracy: the Citizen's Assembly, which demonstrates the city's commitment to a democratic transition process.
The objectives of the Citizens' Assembly will be selected and prioritized by its members. Among them we can point out:
- To better involve citizens in the life and construction of the city of the future,
- To give voice to citizen initiatives in the city,
- To allow inhabitants to participate in the elaboration of a project which concerns them,
- Contribute and propose public actions,
- To participate in the decision making process
- To control and verify the commitments
- Evaluate the effectiveness of public policies implemented
- To animate the life of democracy
- To enrich public and political decisions,
- Participate in the improvement of public decision,
- Strengthen transparency to improve confidence in public action.
Two months after its installation, the Citizens' Assembly now has 43 members. 15 citizens have joined the Assembly following the second drawing of lots in October 2021.
The profiles that compose it are 23 women and 20 men, including :
- 13 members between 17 and 30 years old
- 15 members between 30 and 50 years old
- 15 members between 50 and 80 years old
Installed on September 15, 2021 by the Mayor of Bourges (France), Yann Galut and in the presence of Alain Bouquin, Deputy Mayor in charge of Citizenship and Direct Democracy, the Citizens' Assembly testifies to the City's commitment to a democratic transition process. It was installed on September 15, which is a symbolic date because September 15 is the International Day of Democracy.
In May 2021, the City of Bourges proceeded to a draw of 300 citizens from 16 to 99 years, under the control of a bailiff, from three lists:
- The electoral lists for those over 18 years old
- The lists of the Defense and Citizenship Day for the 16-18 years old
- Supplementary list of the voluntary call for the drawing of lots (for people who are not registered on the above lists)
The drawing of lots will respect the parity between men and women, between generations, socio-professional, and geographical (by district), in order to represent the Berruyer territory as well as possible.
The Citizens' Assembly will also determine its operating conditions and organizational modalities.
Rules of procedure will be established by the members of the citizens' assembly
to determine :
- the modalities of its reflections and work
- the organization of its meetings (frequency, modalities...)
- the formalization of its contributions
- the modalities of its external and internal communication.
The members work in various fields such as education, construction, accounting, health, social work, sales, law, road transport, communication, aeronautical industry or green spaces. A diversified panel of citizens that allows a real confrontation between the expertise and the point of view of each.
The Citizens' Assembly (CA) can give an opinion on subjects entrusted to it by the municipality or deal with a subject chosen by its members.
Last September, the Mayor of Bourges entrusted the CA with two topics for reflection: "The city at 30km/h" and the second "the partial extinction of public lighting". During November and December, four workshops were held with the members of the CA.
Workshop feedback: Through brainstorming exercises, members were able to begin sharing their own perceptions of the topics. By asking short questions: "What does this mean to you? Why?". They were able to compare their initial views and opinions with those of others. In order to expand their knowledge of the subject, the CA members had at their disposal documentation, either general or from the municipal services. (Legal frameworks, positive and negative feedback, articles on environmental issues).
By analyzing and debating the advantages, disadvantages and alternatives to these measures, each of the members formed their own opinion and reflected on a common position to be transmitted to the mayor in the coming weeks.
The city of Bourges has adopted a Charter for Citizen Life and Participation which is based on 6 pillars, including the establishment of a Citizens' Assembly. This set of measures constitutes the Citizen Territory Project.
The creation of this body is in line with the desire to allow citizens to participate in the development of projects that concern them. The aim is to inspire, adjust and animate the city's citizen project and, more broadly, to contribute to local democracy and enrich municipal policies.
Eventually, the Citizens' Assembly will be able to co-construct, with the city council
- budget decisions
- major city projects
- taking responsibility for issues that it deems to be priorities.
It will also ensure that elected officials respect the commitments made during the municipal campaign.
Finally, it will be the voice of citizen initiatives in the city and will propose to translate them into public actions.
Fundamental principles
The Citizens' Assembly is driven by 3 fundamental principles:
- Transparency: letters of nobility of democracy provided that all information circulates without hindrance within it, to be made accessible to all.
- Participation: co-construction of public policies, support and improvement of dialogue with citizens. Because the city of today and tomorrow also requires listening to and involving citizens,
- Cooperation: seeking appropriate ways to analyze situations together and in a shared manner, collaborating in the same spirit to achieve common goals or goals acceptable to all. More simply, it is the fact of working together towards a common goal.
Sources (in French):
Bleu France: l'Assemblée citoyenne officiellement installé
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