Lecture by Levi Rohmberg and Linda Koch on the topic “The Würzburg Future Council: Deliberative democracy as a solution strategy”

As part of the Forum Sustainability event series the third event for the winter term 2025/26 on the main topic of "Sustainability policy on the defensive?!", took place on 21^st January 2026. Levi Rhomberg, Linda Koch (both JMU) gave a lecture on “The Würzburg Future Council: Deliberative democracy as a solution strategy “. A subsequent discussion round with participants of the Future Council deepened the insights into Würzburg’s first citizens’ council.

The project took on a hybrid role as a transformation and research experiment, combining bottom-up and top-down elements. Citizens’ councils function as so-called “mini publics” in which randomly selected individuals collectively and voluntarily discuss political issues. A diverse, albeit non-representative, group of 35 people was formed from a random sample. In three moderated sessions in the summer of 2025, participants received technical input from mobility experts and informational materials. In working groups on public transport, bicycle traffic, motorized private transport, pedestrian traffic as well as communication and information the council developed 15 specific recommendations for action. Finally, these were presented to the city council, where the feedback was predominantly positive. At the same time, the process was documented through participant observation.

In the subsequent discussion round, the participants present also rated their experience as predominantly positive and expressed their willingness to participate again. Particular emphasis was placed on the respectful exchange, the neutral moderation and the provision of comprehensible information by the experts. It was also highlighted that a transparent, well-founded response from the administration is central to a sense of success, to avoid frustration and to seriously recognize citizen participation.

Overall, the event showed that citizens’ council have potential to reduce the distance between politics and the population, bring scientific knowledge into public discourse and enable more active participation in sustainable as well as locally adapted urban development. Despite their lack of legal obligation, such formats can trigger changes in perspectives, promote inclusion and strengthen acceptance for necessary transformations – but they remain confronted with challenges in terms of implementation and institutional embedding.

The events will be organized in interdisciplinary cooperation with the Chair of Social Science Sustainability Research, the Department of Political Theory, the Chair of International Relations and European Studies, the Chair of Public Law and International Economic Law and the WueLAB. The event was eligible for GSiK certificates ("Intercultural Competence" in area C and "Sustainability and Global Responsibility").