Implementation of Gothenburg’s Citizens’ Assembly 2026
Gothenburg’s Citizens’ Assembly is now in action for a greener, more accessible city.
During the spring of 2026, between February and May, fifty randomly and representatively selected residents of Gothenburg, chosen through a stratified selection process, will gather to participate in the City of Gothenburg’s Citizens’ Assembly. The task is to develop recommendations on the following question:
How do you think we should prioritise the space in Gothenburg’s streets and squares – between city life, greenery and traffic?
Digidem Lab has been commissioned to plan, organize, and implement the Citizens’ Assembly in collaboration with the collaboration with Stadsmiljöförvaltningen, Miljöförvaltningen and Demokrati och medborgarservice.
About the citizen assembly
This year’s theme, a green and accessible city, focuses on how Gothenburg can develop so that the city’s spaces accommodate vibrant life and meeting places, greenery, commerce and services, as well as different ways of traveling. At the same time, development needs to take the climate crisis and the city’s climate goals into account. As the city grows, prioritizing shared space becomes increasingly important.
Stadsmiljönämnden (Urban Environment Committee), which is responsible for developing the city’s public spaces and natural areas, has tasked the Citizens’ Assembly with developing recommendations on this issue.
The Citizens’ Assembly is conducted in accordance with international good practice principles for deliberative democracy developed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The figure below illustrates the different stages of the Citizens’ Assembly.
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Meeting 1 – 21 Februari 2026
The first session lays the foundation for the process. The assembly members get to know one another and receive an introduction to what a Citizens’ Assembly entails. They also receive an initial introduction to the topic by listening to presentations and engaging in conversations with experts, public officials, and witnesses. During the session, participants are divided into smaller working groups and begin formulating their own thoughts on the issue
Meeting 2 – 15 March 2026
During the second session, participants deepen their knowledge of the topic. They receive additional information from experts and continue working in their groups. They build models of an area, aiming to accommodate for vibrant life and meeting places, greenery, commerce and services, and different modes of transportation—while also taking City of Gothenburg’s climate goals into account. At this stage, possible barriers, needs, and solutions are also identified. During this session, assembly members may also request additional expert and witnesses input related to the challenges they identify.
Meeting 3 – 18 April 2026
The third session focuses on deepening understanding and analysis. The invited experts respond to the questions that have emerged. Assembly members analyze what is most important to take forward from the model-building exercise and the discussions with experts, and begin transforming their ideas into concrete recommendations.
Meeting 4 – 9 May 2026
During the final session, the recommendations are finalized. Participants vote on which proposals should be handed over as the assembly’s recommendations. Once the work is complete, the recommendations are submitted to the Urban Environment Committee of the City of Gothenburg to serve as a basis for political decisions on how Gothenburg can develop into a more sustainable and accessible city.
Digidem Lab is responsible for the process design and implementation of the Citizens’ Assembly. Learn more about the City of Gothenburg’s Citizens’ Assembly and follow the process via the City of Gothenburg’s platform for citizen participation.
