EU-CIEMBLY Project: How to Create an Intersectionality-embedded Citizens’ Assembly
The gap that EU-CIEMBLY is addressing
While there has been an admirable will and concrete actions to improve the landscape of participatory and deliberative democratic mechanisms at the EU level, this has not always been accompanied by adequate considerations of how to build these mechanisms on intersectional equality, integrating in their modus operandi the most affected in society. In fact, the concept of ‘intersectionality’ within EU law has presented difficulties even without bringing into the picture the context of citizens’ democratic participation.
From theorising to piloting: the path to an intersectionality-embedded citizens’ assembly
EU-CIEMBLY seeks to be the first project that uses a theoretical understanding of intersectionality, equality, and power relations in the design of innovative and inclusive Citizens’ Assemblies.
This is being accomplished in four interconnected steps:
- Theorise intersectionality in citizens’ assemblies, by creating an analytical and normative framework.
- Evaluate existing citizens’ assemblies in light of the project’s analytical framework.
- Pilot the citizens’ assemblies models across three pilots at a local (Colchester, UK), national (Cyprus) and transnational level (online).
- Make recommendations to policy-makers with the lessons drawn from the pilots and involve them to ensure a positive impact of the project.
What stage is the EU-CIEMLBY project at?
After two years of the project, we are now going through the pilot and recommendation phases.
During February and March 2026, the project held its first pilot in Colchester (UK), where the design choice of power sharing and co-designing through community engagement was tested. Our second pilot, in Cyprus (April-May 2026) tested the descriptive and discursive representation through intersectionality-informed recruitment and content. Our last pilot is expected to run during November 2026 and will test enclave deliberation involving ‘the deeply affected’ as the targeted intervention. The selected topic for the three pilots is housing, which will provide an opportunity to hear participants’ recommendations on this matter of significant importance to the European Union currently.
Once the pilots have been completed, it will be time to draw up recommendations for policymakers. Before that, as the project moves forward, we seek to establish a constructive dialogue with key policymakers and institutional representatives whose expertise and perspectives can meaningfully contribute to ensuring the policy relevance and long-term impact of our work. This will be carried out collaboratively through our EU-CIEMBLY Living Lab, a space where stakeholders and policymakers are invited to participate in activities such as high-level workshops, focus groups, dissemination events, and training courses. They will have also the opportunity to provide feedback on policy-relevant findings and recommendations. In parallel, their participation will allow for the development of shared knowledge, the collaborative value generated within the Living Lab, and to receive regular updates on the project’s progress, outputs, and policy briefs. If you would like to join our community and access this collaborative space, you just need to fill out this simple form!
Do you want to know more about the project?
Take a look at our website and published outcomes.
Contact: eu-ciembly@ij.uc.pt
Follow us on social media: