Hybrid Deliberation

Deliberative committee in the Parliament of Wallonia: Methods, proceedings and minutes of meetings

12 Dec 2024

Read Everything you need to know about the first Deliberative committee at the Walloon Parliament

Session 0: optional information session on the process

Date: 15 October 2023

Recording of the meeting: closed session, not recorded

How we worked:

We helped the participants to get to know each other and learn about each other’s lives.
We presented the process: how will the 5 deliberation sessions be structured?
We started by clarifying the topic chosen for this deliberative committee.

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Slides presented

Session 1: finding out about and clarifying the topic under consideration

Date: November 12, 2023

How we worked:

We used the photo language method to tackle the question: what does this subject mean to us?
Presentation by Cap démocratie, the non-profit organisation behind the petition.
3 experts presented key information on the issue in plenary. Participants wrote their questions down.
In 3 groups: the experts rotated between sub-groups to answer questions and exchange views with the participants.

Media used:

The experts interviewed:

Christophe Niessen has a doctorate in political science and specialises in multi-level governance and deliberative democracy. He was involved in the construction of the permanent citizens’ dialogue (as an expert) and is himself from the German-speaking Community.
Julien Piérart has a doctorate in sociology. He has worked for the Service Public de Wallonie for 10 years, in the Sustainable Development department.
Anne-Emmanuelle Bourgaux is a professor of constitutional law at the Universities of Mons and Brussels. Her research focuses on the relationship between law, democracy and federalism.

Session 2: Identifying the first possible solutions

Date: 3 December 2023

How we worked:

Plenary presentation by Prof. Jean-Benoit Pilet on the challenges of participation. Questions and answers.
In groups: participants are invited to draw on their personal experience to identify which issues they would like to contribute to the decision-making process and how.
Back to the plenary session to share an overview of the solutions found.

Media used:

Expert interviewed :

Jean-Benoit Pilet, Professor of political science at the Université libre de Bruxelles. Co-author of the critical report on citizen participation “Écouter la voix du citoyen, du mouvement participatif à l’isoloir“.

Session 3: Exploring and formulating recommendations

Date: 14 January 2024

How we worked:

Explore the issue in greater depth in 3 thematic groups:
- Ongoing civic dialogue in the German-speaking community
- Existing participation mechanisms in Wallonia
- Inventing new ways of involving citizens
In each of the 3 groups, participants were given information cards and speakers specific to the sub-theme covered, as resources for further reflection and answering questions.
By the end of the day, each group had formulated draft recommendations on the sub-theme it was dealing with.

Media used:

Slides presented

Experts interviewed:

Anna Stuers, Representative for permanent citizen dialogue in the German-speaking community
2 participants in the ongoing citizen dialogue in the German-speaking community
Jonathan Moskovic, Democratic Innovation Adviser to the Brussels Francophone Parliament
Francis Delpérée, Constitutionalist
Julien Vrydagh, Political scientist
Yves Dejaeghere, Director of FIDE
Edouard Delruelle, Philosopher
Arnaud Ruyssen, Journalist

Session 4: finalising the recommendations

Date: 4 February 2024

Recording of the meeting: closed session, not recorded

How we worked:

Cross-referencing the perspectives of the different thematic groups from the previous session to further develop and finalise the recommendations.
Share any objections participants may have to the recommendations and find compromises to overcome these objections.

Media used:

- Slides presented

Session 5: Examining amendments and voting on recommendations

Date: 25 February 2024

How we worked:

Citizens take ownership of the amendments tabled: prepare questions and comments for the plenary session.
Examination and discussion in plenary of the amendments tabled.
Vote on amendments and recommendations.

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