Deliberation in Times of COVID-19: The Case of Luxembourg's Citizens’ Committee

In recent decades, governments around the world have increasingly relied on deliberative processes including juries and citizens’ assemblies for input and support in decision-making processes. With the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic in 2020, however, many of these consultations were forced to move online. While this shift arguably offers a range of opportunities in the sense that it can potentially be more cost-effective and inclusive, it is questionable whether and to what extent virtual formats can substitute face-to-face interactions. To date, there are few academic studies that focus on online assemblies. This paper seeks to redress that gap. It does so through a detailed case study analysis of Luxembourg’s Citizen’s Committee, the Biergerkommitee Lëtzebuerg 2050, which was set up in January 2021 within the framework of Luxembourg in Transition. Launched by the Department of Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Energy and Spatial Planning, Luxembourg in Transition is a consultative process that seeks to gather strategic, spatial planning proposals for the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and neighbouring border territories to become climate-neutral by 2050. Besides multidisciplinary expert teams, the Department of Spatial Planning of the Ministry of Energy and Spatial Planning decided to launch a Citizens’ Committee to accompany the project. The Biergerkommitee provides an interesting case study for various reasons. First, multilingualism can be conceptualised as one basic cultural feature of democracy and civic participation in Luxembourg and consequently, it is interesting to consider how the Biergerkommitee has integrated such a multilingual context. Second, unlike many comparable Climate-related citizens’ assemblies, the Biergerkommitee became an e-consultation by default; in other words, because of the pandemic, the learning and deliberation were entirely held in a virtual environment. This paper offers a preliminary analysis of the Biergerkommitee Lëtzebuerg 2050. Specifically, by drawing on survey data, participant observations and interviews, we analyse the deliberativeness as well as the broader perception of impact of the process. We do so by being particularly attentive to the effects of the digital environment. As digital deliberations continue to gain momentum, it is crucial to gain insight into the effects of e-consultations.