July 22, 2021

The EU is embarking on a new political and institutional cycle. Reforming EU democracy and enhancing citizen participation will remain a priority on the EU political agenda during this new mandate, as emphasised in the European Council’s Strategic Agenda and the political guidelines of Commission President-elect Ursula von der Leyen. The European Economic and Social Committee in its current mandate also commits to making "a more resilient, more inclusive, and more democratic EU" its central objective. 

The European elections in June 2024 is a milestone for European democracy. Young Europeans drove up the voter turnout in 2019, and the surge in youth participation is likely to be repeated in 2024.

The EU needs reform. The Conference on the Future of Europe and European Citizens Panels have demonstrated that citizens can be the driving force behind complex changes the EU must undergo, be it managing the poly-transition, preparing the EU for a potential enlargement to 30+ member states or pushing for the much-needed EU institutional and governance reform. Despite this potential, both EU and national decision-makers seem hesitant to fully leverage citizen participation. Participatory democracy in the EU is hitting an invisible ceiling that can only be broken if politicians and decision-makers at the European and national levels acknowledge and address the root causes blocking development.