Statement by Claudia Chwalisz and David Van Reybrouck on the Brussels Permanent Citizens' Assembly on climate

"The historic establishment of the Brussels Permanent Citizens' Assembly on climate demonstrates that sortition and deliberation are not merely supplementary or optional features of a functioning democracy. To the contrary, citizens' assemblies can and should operate as permanent governing bodies with the same broad powers of existing electoral systems. Brussels is a city of over 1.2 million people, 180 nationalities, and 100 spoken languages. If this can be done in Brussels, it can be done anywhere—particularly on an issue like climate which affects everyone. At DemocracyNext, we look forward to following the assembly's progress and call on cities the world over to learn from and follow Brussels' example." 

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