Session 1 in brief

From 18 to 20 September 2026, 142 randomly selected citizens from all 27 EU countries met in Brussels for the first session of the European Citizens' Panel on Democratic Resilience. They worked in 12 small groups and 23 languages, with interpretation throughout.

On Friday they explored the topic at a Democracy Fair. On Saturday each group described how it experiences democracy today, wrote postcards from the year 2076, named the principles that should guide a resilient democracy and chose where action is most needed. On Sunday the whole panel debated two big questions and agreed on the topics it will take as the working basis for Session 2.

How citizens see democracy today

Citizens feel democracy most strongly close to home. Nine of the 12 groups named local and everyday democracy as something that works, and nine named the vote and free elections. Everyday freedoms and the benefits of European integration also came up often: free movement, Erasmus, and feeling protected as an EU citizen. Several participants said that being selected for this panel was itself a sign of democracy working.

The worries are mostly about relationships, not technical rules. Eleven groups described politicians who seem distant and break their promises, and eleven described extremism and polarisation. Nine named disinformation and the "chaos" of information. Many also spoke of consultations whose results were ignored: « Tout a bien été noté, mis dans un dossier et placé dans un tiroir et on n'a plus entendu parler. » ("Everything was duly noted, put in a file and placed in a drawer, and we never heard about it again.")

Democracy in 2076

Participants wrote 105 postcards from the future. The most common wish, on 50 cards and in every group that wrote them, is that citizens are heard and have a real say. Next come a united Europe in an open world (28 cards), honest politicians and clean institutions (25), everyone taking part (25), a decent life for all (23), equal rights (23) and democracy learned at school (22).

"Zo is er nu op elk niveau een burgerpanel, wat een soort 4de macht in het bestuur is geworden."
"There is now a citizens' panel at every level. It has become a kind of fourth power in government." Postcard, written in Dutch

"Hier je suis allée courir au parc à la tombée de la nuit et je m'y suis sentie en sécurité — quel soulagement de ne plus devoir être sur mes gardes en permanence."
"I went running in the park at nightfall and felt safe. What a relief not to be on my guard all the time." Postcard, written in French

"piazze gremite di persone di ogni età. … ognuno è degno di essere ascoltato e tutti ne sono consapevoli."
"Squares packed with people of every age… everyone is worthy of being listened to, and everyone knows it." Postcard, written in Italian

More postcards, in the language they were written in and in English, are in the Vision 2076 tab.

What should guide us

Six principles were shared by nine or more of the 12 groups:

• respect, listening and dialogue across differences;
• equal rights and fair chances, with no one left behind;
• honest, transparent and accountable power;
• participation that has a real influence;
• informed, critically thinking citizens with trustworthy and plural information;
• freedom to speak and choose without fear, used responsibly.

Solidarity and community came close behind. One group summed up the last principle as "co-responsible freedom".

Where action is most needed

Each group chose its top three priorities. Together they form four areas and eleven topics, which the whole panel took as its working basis on Sunday:

• Citizens who can take part: civic education from the start, and lifelong civic learning.
• Reducing the gap between citizens and institutions: participation with effect, politicians who keep their word, institutions we can trust.
• Information and technology: media literacy and fact-checking, independent media, artificial intelligence and digital sovereignty.
• A society that holds together: socio-economic equalities, protecting democracy in times of crisis, community and belonging.

Education was the strongest priority of the weekend. Ten of the 12 groups put it in their top three.

Two questions for everyone

On Sunday morning, two questions drawn from the groups' discussions were put to the whole panel. Citizens from six groups spoke on stage, and members of the Knowledge Committee reacted. The first was "Do we get the politicians we deserve?" Groups blamed politicians and citizens at the same time, often in the same breath. The second was "Do we need rules to be free?" Many groups hold freedom as a core value, yet ask for rules on social media, disinformation and artificial intelligence.

In the plenary poll on the first question, 75% said no, we do not get the politicians we deserve, and about a quarter said yes. On the second question, 88% said yes, we need rules to be free, and 12% said no.

What participants said about the weekend

126 participants answered a short survey at the end of the session. 84% were satisfied or very satisfied (average 4.2 out of 5). 125 of 126 agreed that everyone in their group had the chance to speak. Their main requests for next time are more time for discussion, shorter days, smoother travel and catering, and more clarity on how their input will be used.

What comes next

Session 2 takes place online from 16 to 18 October 2026. The groups will move from priority areas to objectives and first draft recommendations. They will check what the European Democracy Shield and earlier citizens' panels already cover, and decide where they can add most. Between sessions, an Editorial Committee of 12 volunteer citizens works on the panel's introductory statement.

Anyone can join the conversation on the Citizens' Engagement Platform, where 628 contributions have been posted since May.