Developing participatory democracy in Greece is essential to address contemporary political, social, and economic challenges while reviving the country’s democratic ideals. With widespread distrust in traditional institutions, participatory mechanisms like citizen assemblies, youth and citizens councils and digital platforms can reconnect citizens with politics, enhance governance transparency, and empower local communities.
DemoAct is an initiative implemented by ELIAMEP that seeks to strengthen democratic deliberation in Greece by actively engaging public institutions and embedding citizens deliberation systemically and sustainably in public administration and civil society. At a time when trust between citizens and institutions is under pressure, the project aspires to create meaningful spaces for dialogue that improve the quality of policymaking and foster a more open and participatory civic environment.
The program will focus on (a) creating a network of policymakers engaged or willing to engage in participatory democracy and providing effective, longstanding and impactful support and capacity building; (b) implementing citizens’ assemblies for municipalities and on regional and national levels (c) engaging and supporting civil society actors in democratic deliberation importance and work.
In its first year, the project is structured around three interconnected pillars. The first focuses on capacity building and training for Policymakers, including a dedicated workshop which will work with selected committed policymakers at local, regional and national levels, with the aim of creating a policymakers’ team that is impactful locally and to extend the program’s support and guidance to them beyond the workshop. A guidebook will be produced and provided. The second pillar includes the organization of a Citizens’ Assembly for the Municipality of Athens, in a structured deliberative setting, culminating in the production of a policy recommendations report. The Assembly will take place in Athens and will be co-designed with the Municipality of Athens, working on a policy priority issue. The third pillar centers on the organization of a targeted Workshop with selected NGOs, in collaboration with the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, on the importance of involving citizens deliberation in their work and guidance on essential tools for deliberation.
DemoAct is implemented in partnership with the School of Transnational Governance at the European University Institute, the Democratic Odyssey Project, the Municipality of Athens and the Papandreou Foundation. Through these collaborations, the project connects local democratic innovation with European and international expertise, reinforcing its ambition to contribute to the evolution of deliberative democracy in Greece.
The DemoAct project is implemented within the framework of the PLATO programme, with the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP) as the implementing partner. PLATO is co-funded by the European Union through the Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV) programme, the Bodossaki Foundation, and the NGO Support Centre, with a total grant amount of €3.1 million.
Project Team:
Spyros Blavoukos
Myrto Xanthopoulou
Katerina Lamprinou
Savvas Papadopoulos
Disclaimer:
Funded by the European Union. The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors only and do not necessarily reflect the views of the European Union, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), the Bodossaki Foundation, or the NGO Support Centre. The European Union, the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA), the Bodossaki Foundation, and the NGO Support Centre cannot be held responsible for the views expressed.
