The topics
First phase
In the first phase citizens discuss the relationship between federal politics and the electoral district at the six Electoral District Days. What role do members of parliament play in the electoral district? Which federal policy issues are of particular importance in the electoral district? What should change in an electoral district reform, and what should be retained?
In addition to these substantive questions about the relationship between the electoral district and the Bundestag, issues that hold particular potential for conflict and those that will play a special role for the electoral district in the future will be identified for the following Electoral District Days in the second and third phases. In addition, the way of securing results from the Electoral District Days as well as the way of exchanging their influence on the political work of the MPs will be discussed jointly by MPs and participants.
Second phase
In the second phase six Electoral District Days are held on one of the topics defined in the first phase, which harbor a particularly high potential for conflict, since it is precisely topics that can be delineated and that are conflict-ridden that can be meaningfully dealt with in citizens' councils, and the added value for politics is particularly high.
For example, the Electoral District Day pilots showed how, when it comes to housing, opinions differ widely on the extent to which the state should intervene in the market. At the same time, however, a rapprochement was able to take place in the course of the day and differentiated, mediating proposals were jointly developed.
Third phase
Finally, in the third phase, a federal policy issue is selected that is particularly relevant to the future. The background to this is that at the anticipated time of the Electoral District Days in phase 3, it is unlikely that proposals will be implemented during the current legislative period. The focus will therefore tend to be on topics that are relevant to long-term debates in the Bundestag.
The most conceivable topics are those that are currently the subject of much discussion but are not reflected in concrete agreements in the coalition agreement. These include the recently resurrected debate on public broadcasting and its financing, a possible general compulsory service, or topics that are of particular relevance to the younger generation, especially the transformation debate on climate change. Proposals are solicited at the first Electoral District Days. The decision will then be made in the Institutionalization Council, as it will be tasked in particular with exploring the potential of the format and therefore determining the topic based on the experience gained in the first two phases.
At each of these stages, the results are documented and prepared for dissemination to elected officials.
How does a Electoral District Day work?
Electoral Districts at a glance
Who is behind it?
Outreach Random Selection Method
