The Democratic Innovations group, in collaboration with Prof. Sorina Soare from the University of Florence, actively participated in research on the first citizens' jury in Romania, held in the city of Râmnicu Vâlcea. The team designed a survey that was conducted before and after the panel sessions, and Prof. Soare personally attended one of the deliberative sessions. The team established a strong partnership with Simona Iliescu, Inspector at the Local Development Department of the Municipality of Râmnicu Vâlcea.
The citizens' jury in Râmnicu Vâlcea focused on the future of local public transport in city. The process was structured in two stages, beginning on March 23 with welcoming remarks from City Hall representatives, including the mayor and city councilors. This was followed by an introduction of the jury members and an overview of the deliberative process. The city worked with the "Fundația Comunitară Vâlcea" citizens' foundation and the "Asociația H.appy Cities" association to organize the mini-public. Additionally, the jury received support from experts at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).
Two learning sessions were held on March 27 and March 30, featuring presentations by civil servants and external experts such as urban planners and traffic management specialists. These sessions covered various mobility issues, including the current state of Râmnicu Vâlcea's public transportation system, public spaces, pedestrian zones, cycling paths, and examples of best practices from other cities. After thorough deliberation, the jurors submitted their list of recommendations to the City Council on May 8.
The 20 members of the jury developed actionable recommendations for the city council. This citizens' assembly marked the first project in which the Râmnicu Vâlcea city administration collaborated with civil society. It was also the first project involving direct citizen participation in addressing an urban mobility issue.
