Global Citizens’ Assemblies should help revive the UN: new report

In a moment of mounting global crises, two democracy advocacy groups put forward a bold vision to help democratize global governance: a permanent mechanism for convening Global Citizens’ Assemblies (GCAs) within the United Nations system that would help reinvigorate the world organization through citizen input.

At a 90-minute launch webinar, available at YouTube and co-hosted by Democracy International and Democracy Without Borders, the organizations presented their joint policy brief, Global Citizens’ Assemblies: Pathways for the UN – Principles, Design, and Implementation. The document proposes institutionalizing deliberative forums composed of randomly selected global citizens to weigh in on pressing transnational issues – from climate change to AI ethics.

While the paper elaborates specifically on implementation by the UN, it envisions that there will be different types of GCAs established by different actors as part of an evolving “deliberative ecosystem” across all levels.

Renata Sene, former mayor of Francisco Morato, Brazil, opened the webinar with a compelling case for participatory governance rooted in her city’s transformation. Her experience in implementing local citizens’ assemblies set a grassroots tone for the discussion about scaling such methods globally. “We did a model where we were sure that the population would participate,” she said. “We reached more than 60,000 people through two multi-year planning processes. Now we even hear from children”, the author of the paper’s foreword noted.

Overview of the paper

Tim Murithi of the Institute for Justice and Reconciliation framed GCAs as essential in today’s global “interregnum.” “The post–World War II order is ending. The choice before us is to capitulate to authoritarianism or to forge a new democratic global order,” he said. “Every human being must be granted the equal right to participate in reconfiguring their society”, Murithi emphasized. He cited historical precursors to the idea, including the ancient Greek concept of demos and the Stoic ideal of cosmopolitanism. GCAs are a method to address the global democratic deficit and help reinvigorate the UN, the paper argues.

Core design principles and implementation

Nicole Curato, now at the University of Birmingham, laid out the core features of citizens’ assemblies: random selection, informed deliberation, and co-created recommendations. “Given the right conditions, everyday people are more than capable of grappling with complex issues,” she said. “It’s not just about representation; it’s about thoughtful participation.” Curato also highlighted ongoing debates around the fairness of random selection versus representational diversity, equity, especially for vulnerable populations, a subject touched upon in the policy brief.

Caroline Vernaillen, Global Lead for Advocacy at Democracy International, addressed the practical challenges of globalizing such a model which are stressed in the paper. “We don’t have a global population registry. Language, technology, and visa inequities all make participation harder,” she said. “But the diversity of humanity is not an obstacle – it’s a strength”, she noted. Vernaillen pointed to successful pilot projects like the civil society-led 2021 Global Assembly on climate and the EU’s Conference on the Future of Europe as proof of concept.

Integrating GCAs into the UN system

Andreas Bummel, Executive Director of Democracy Without Borders, presented the policy brief’s key recommendation: the establishment of a permanent GCA framework at the UN by the UN General Assembly under Article 22 of the UN Charter. “Each UN body in a flexible way could then trigger its own ad hoc global citizens’ assembly. The framework would be coordinated by a common secretariat to assist implementation, ensure high standards and create synergies,” he explained. “While the assemblies would be advisory, their input would need to be taken seriously, for instance through mandatory responses to their recommendations.” Bummel emphasized that GCAs should complement other democratic global reforms, such as a UN Parliamentary Assembly and a World Citizens’ Initiative.

Reflections and cautions

Following the remarks from the document’s four co-authors, the panel was joined by several scholars and practitioners who reflected on the policy brief.

Farsan Ghassim of the University of Oxford warned against diluting the core principle of random selection: “Any deviation from randomness chips away at legitimacy,” he said. “If we over-represent certain groups, who decides which ones? That opens the door to elite control”, he said. He warned that such choices could inadvertently reproduce the very power imbalances GCAs aim to correct.

Mathias Koenig-Archibugi from the London School of Economics praised the brief as a document that should be broadly noticed but urged caution in framing: “If this is seen as another elite project, it may alienate the very citizens it seeks to engage,” he said. “We need to distinguish form from substance and ensure assemblies reflect pluralism.” He urged advocates of citizens’ assemblies to exercise restraint in promoting specific substantive outcomes, stressing the need to accommodate diverse political perspectives.

A case for institutionalization

Doina Stratu of the Polytechnic University of Valencia stressed that GCAs must be institutionalized within public systems to gain legitimacy and impact. “Citizens’ assemblies are not an experiment anymore – they are a structural correction to a broken system,” she added. “UN Article 22 gives us a legal path to make this real”, she stressed one of the paper’s conclusions.

Antoine Vergne of Missions Publiques, a seasoned practitioner currently working on global citizen deliberation on AI, issued a word of caution: “Let’s not get stuck in one model. Democracy at the global level needs to be fractal, flexible, and multi-voiced,” he said. “Standardizing too early could be its downfall”, he warned. Vergne furthermore lauded the EU’s evolving use of citizen panels as evidence of scalable success.

Citizens input to the climate negotiations

David Levai of Iswe Foundation struck a pragmatic note, citing the lack of political appetite at the UN level, particularly related to the recent Summit of the Future in September 2024. “The Summit of the Future showed no political will”, he noted. “We must demonstrate value through action, not theory. That’s why the upcoming Global Citizens’ Assembly ahead of the next round of the climate negotiations COP30 in Brazil is crucial”, he said. Levai described the initiative, led by his organization, as a chance to integrate citizen deliberation directly into climate negotiations, potentially creating a model for replication.

Conclusions

From local towns in Brazil to the halls of the UN, the case for citizen inclusion in global governance is gaining traction. While challenges remain – especially institutional inertia and political reluctance – advocates argue that GCAs can bridge the legitimacy gap between governments and the governed at the global scale.

In her final reflection, moderator Nudhara Yusuf of the Coalition for the UN We Need underscored the urgency and ambition behind the proposal. “This isn’t just about having a seat at the table – it’s about creating more tables,” she said. “Yes, the hurdles are real. But so is the crisis. And global citizens are ready.” Yusuf emphasized that GCAs offer a new democratic infrastructure for a shared global future. She encouraged participants and governments alike to “meet this moment not with fear, but with boldness.”

The 40-page policy brief is now available on the websites of Democracy International and Democracy Without Borders.