Professor Paulina Pospieszna took part in the annual meeting of the Democracy R&D network, held in Brussels on 15–16 October 2025. The event brought together scholars and practitioners committed to strengthening democracy across the world through mechanisms of deliberative democracy. Participants discussed the challenges of sustaining citizens’ assemblies, scaling democratic innovations, and enhancing the impact of deliberation in an era of polarization and democratic backsliding.
Professor Pospieszna participated in several thematic panels and workshops, engaging with representatives from the Poland-based NGOs Fundacja Pole Dialogu and Stocznia Foundation, as well as with experts from the Chancellery of the Polish Parliament—organizations that closely collaborate with Democratic Innovations research group. One of the highlights of the meeting was a session hosted at the European Commission, where participants reflected on lessons from the recent European Citizens’ Panels.
Interestingly, two years ago Prof. Pospieszna organized a discussion panel on the potential for citizens’ assemblies in Ukraine, envisaged as a post-war democratic rebuilding tool. Today, such assemblies are already being organized amid the ongoing conflict—by the Council of Europe and within the Horizon Europe BRIDGE project, where Prof. Pospieszna serves as a member of the Advisory Board.
