Recommendation 1: Measures to increase robustness of innovative democratic practice:

The participation of citizens in public deliberation and discourse is an essential part of politics, but it is difficult to check the bona fides of citizens when they are part of a broad participatory exercise. Quality controls both on the questions asked and on methods of recruitment can support fair process and prevent actors with an interest in a particular outcome from skewing the question or the discussion in such a way that it favours their pre-arranged position. Measures and funding that support capacity building in governments and in civil society actors at local level can provide an essential underpinning infrastructure and can support local action that counters populist narratives of elitism in institutions.