Public support for deliberative citizens' assemblies selected through sortition: Evidence from 15 countries

As representative democracy is increasingly criticized, a new institution becoming popular among academics and practitioners: deliberative citizens’ assemblies. To evaluate whether these assemblies can deliver their promise of re-engaging the dissatisfied politics, we explore who supports them why. We build on unique survey conducted with samples 15 Western European countries find, first, that most supportive are those less educated, have low sense political competence an anti-elite sentiment. Thus, support does come from dissatisfied. Second, find this for part ‘outcome contingent’, in it changes respondents’ expectations regarding policy outcome This second finding nuances first one suggests while convey some hope to re-engage disengaged citizens, conditioned expectation favourable outcome. article protected by copyright. All rights reserved