Equality by lot

Bruxelles Today reports that the municipality of Auderghem in Belgium is setting up an allotted Citizen Evaluation Council (CEC) that is going to produce a yearly evaluation of the government of the municipality. This has the potential of being a transformative application of sortition – much more impactful than the customary single-issue bodies and the “grand plan” bodies. By evaluating the actual actions of the government as a whole, rather than being assigned limited roles by the elected, or making abstract and inevitably vague plans, the evaluation council can become a meaningful channel for democratic power challenging the oligarchical electoral power. Much of course depends on the details – authority, resources, media attention – but the direction is very promising, despite not having any binding decision making power. This could be a good way for estabilishing the representativity of allotted bodies and increasing their visibility and credibility, as an initial step toward a full sortition-based system. If the population perceives the evaluations produced as valid and useful, then the next step – allowing the CEC to fire and hire the officials they are evaluating in order to promote the same values and interests the CEC uses when producing its evaluation – seems not that far fetched.

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The municipality of Auderghem is launching a Citizen Evaluation Council (CEC) composed of 33 residents selected by lot from among the applicants. Its mission will be to independently evaluate the municipality’s actions on an annual basis, the municipality stated.

Three criteria for evaluating the municipality

Each year, the Council will review municipal actions based on three criteria: effectiveness—specifically, what was or was not achieved and why; the relevance of decisions regarding residents’ needs; and the coherence between various projects. The method draws on an OECD framework, adapted by the ULB Policy Lab to make it accessible to residents who are not public policy evaluation specialists.

“It is very easy for a municipality to claim it has done this or that, or that it is innovative or the best. But in a world where ‘fake news’ makes us question everything, that kind of rhetoric is no longer enough,” says Mayor Sophie de Vos. “We therefore decided to empower residents to evaluate what we do.”

Aldermen and municipal departments will be required to present the planned initiatives, what was actually accomplished, and the reasons for any delays to the members. The process will rely on the roadmap set out in the 2024–2030 General Policy Declaration, activity reports from municipal departments, and an annual resident satisfaction survey.

Work begins in March 2027

Members will first undergo three half-day training sessions covering the municipality’s powers and operations. They will then begin their work in March 2027 by evaluating actions taken during 2026.

Each annual cycle will conclude in June with a public presentation held on the same day as the “Residents’ Drinks” event. The findings will then be officially presented to the Municipal Council. The term of office will last two years and may be renewed until 2030. Participants will receive compensation for each working session, within the limits of the statutory cap for flat-rate allowances.

“The Citizens’ Evaluation Council does not replace the Municipal Council or the Municipal Executive, which continue to steer municipal action,” explains Sophie de Vos. “What we are adding is direct resident involvement to ensure our actions meet their needs and—where necessary—to make corrections.”

Starting in late 2029, the various evaluations will also be used to draft a memorandum of recommendations. This document must be finalized no later than March 31, 2030, and shared with the lists of candidates running in the municipal elections.

Filed under: Applications, Press, Sortition |