Who we are

We are an activist collective with people in various cities across the country, linked to different movements, who see democracy as the path to change. It emerged in Extinction Rebellion Portugal to create coalitions and strategic partnerships for citizens' assemblies, but eventually became an independent working group. 

What we've been up to

In 2020 we focussed on bringing the idea to journalists, collectives and social movements linked to the environment, housing, social inclusion, diversity, transparency, urbanism, participatory economics etc, when we held dozens of meetings and several webinars. In addition to the demand for the system itself, we wanted the PRR (EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Plan) to incorporate this mechanism for a politically legitimate decision on the use of funds. Although we found a good response, we noticed a difficulty in incorporating these demands into the programmes of these collectives, as well as in creating partnerships for claim actions.

In 2021, an election year, we shifted our focus to the political system. We started by contacting the presidential candidates, when we were only received by Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa's adviser. We then approached the parliamentary groups and non-attached MPs in order to take the idea to the party leaderships. We were received by PAN, PSD, PEV, BLOCO, Cristina Rodrigues and Joacine Katar Moreira. We were also received by Nós Cidadãos, RIR and a working group from LIVRE, which at the time had no seats in the AR. Of these, Joacine Katar Moreira offered a declaration of support and help from her legal team and Inês de Souza Real (PAN) made a motion in the AR calling for citizens' assemblies in the PRR. In the campaigns for the local councils, we were also received by VOLT and collaborated in the campaigns of Nós Cidadãos in Lisbon and Movimento Cidadãos por Aveiro, which included CAs in their programmes. We mapped around 30 other candidates across the country, mostly from PAN and LIVRE, and some from VOLT and PSD.

In 2022, with the absolute majority of the government, the growth of anti-system forces and the reduction of political diversity in the RA, the focus turned to institutional direct action, with the creation of the FUTURO party, based exclusively on citizens' assemblies, like Burning Pink (UK) and Ágora (Belgium). We keep in touch with the latter, which managed to elect a deputy in Brussels and has a model of organisation and practice being tested since 2020. The aim is not to limit ourselves to indirect action, to convince through arguments from organisations and politicians, but to seek strength directly from citizens. This move could reheat the issue in the media, change the perception of organisations and broaden its application, since Carlos Moedas (PSD - Lisbon) is the only elected mayor who has put deliberation by lot among his campaign promises and who is monopolising the perception of the issue. The Agora model calls for the creation of an association that runs an independent citizens' assembly, where the positions that its spokesperson will take to the AR will be deliberated. The involvement of civil society, collectives and organisations will be essential for this.

In 2023 we started the States-General for Climate Action project, a process created and managed by civil society. Its inspiration comes from the recently launched Italian initiative Ci Sarà Un Bel Clima and also from the British project People's Plan for Nature. Similar to what happened in Italy, we propose organising a collaborative process where the participants will be civil society actors working on climate change and a just transition in regular collaboration over a period of several months. Also, in line with critical evaluations made within the framework of KNOCA (Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies), this will be a self-managed citizens' assembly experiment. This could serve to circumvent the attempts to bias the themes and/or depoliticise the recommendations that have haunted various processes organised by state initiatives. These States-General could be a starting point for the establishment of the independent citizens' assembly mentioned above, but born out of the climate justice movement. This origin gives it an external character to the party political system.

Finally

In 2024 we co-created the manifesto Mais Democracia >> Assembleias Cidadãs (More Democracy >> Citizens' Assemblies), on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, which made PREC possible, followed by representative democracy and elections. After 24 April, the campaign for a Citizens' Legislative Initiative was launched with the aim of institutionalising deliberative democracy, where permitted by the Constitution. 

Despite the changes in focus, the different lines of action coexist and seek synergies. We are available for videoconferences, where we answer questions about citizens' assemblies, create partnerships or welcome new members. 

To participate, please leave your contact details in this form.