High-level session – Strengthening Democracy through Cohesion and Participation: The Role of the European Citizens’ Initiative in Combating Polarisation.

In the framework of ECI Day 2025, the European Ombudsman will participate at the High Level session – Strengthening Democracy through Cohesion and Participation: The Role of the European Citizens’ Initiative in Combating Polarisation (JDE 62).

European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) Day 2025 will take place as part of the EESC’s second edition of Civil Society Week, held on 17-20 March, with a focus on the theme of Strengthening Cohesion and Participation in Polarised Societies.

Details of the session:

09:30 - 10:45 | High-level session – Strengthening Democracy through Cohesion and Participation: The Role of the European Citizens’ Initiative in Combating Polarisation (JDE 62)

Political and social polarisation – increasingly present in both the European and global political landscape – poses a significant threat to the stability of democratic systems. At the same time, it is democracy itself that offers a possible solution. That solution is participation, making one’s voice heard and listened to, encouraging co-creation rather than polarisation and division.

More than a decade ago, the Lisbon Treaty laid the foundations for greater involvement of EU citizens in European policymaking and introduced the European Citizens’ Initiative. This innovative instrument for participatory democracy aims to involve citizens in political agenda-setting at EU level by providing them with an indirect form of the right of legislative initiative. 

The recent start of the new EU institutional cycle offers an excellent opportunity to share and discuss the objectives and plans of the EU institutions regarding the European Citizens’ Initiative and its further development, as a way of encouraging EU citizens to play a meaningful part in the democratic process and thus increase cohesion and combat polarisation. 

Moderated by Bruno Kaufmann

Speakers:

• Aurel Laurenţiu Plosceanu, Vice-President of the European Economic and Social Committee
• Nicolae Ștefănuță, Vice-President of the European Parliament
• Maroš Šefčovič, Commissioner for Trade and Economic Security, Interinstitutional Relations and Transparency (video message)
• Marek Krawczyk, Vice Minister for Civil Society of Poland, Polish Presidency of the EU
• Teresa Anjinho, European Ombudsman
• Daniela Vancic, Democracy International

 Q&A round