Citizen engagement improves policymaking and trust in government

A JRC analysis of public administrations and experts across the EU that responded to a survey shows that, once those authorities become engaged in citizen participation, they saw improved policymaking, better democratic outcomes, greater legitimacy and increased trust in government.

As much as 97% of the 105 public administrations who responded to the survey said they would conduct citizen engagement again in future, citing reasons such as better policy quality, uptake of community needs and strengthened democracy and legitimacy.

The analysis is based on the 2025 EU Citizen Engagement Impact Survey, carried out by the JRC. The findings are published in a new report, providing survey data from 20 EU countries, interviews and expert contributions.

Why citizen engagement?

Research already shows that citizen engagement processes are transformative for the participating citizens. They are enabled to take ownership of the solutions to their matters of concern, and can help reconcile divisive political topics, gain skills and knowledge, resulting on higher trust in policy institutions and willingness to participate in politics.

But what effect do citizen engagement processes have on policymaking, democratic systems and the broader public?

Benefits from involving citizens in policymaking

The report reveals a range of evidence-based impacts, including instances where citizen engagement has shaped policy and policymaking culture and the wider public. The analysis mapped impacts across policy, institutions and society, suggesting that the extent and scale of citizen engagement impact may be underestimated.

For example, the data revealed cases where citizens' support for particular policy action helped to raise the level of policy ambition during political negotiations. The findings also indicate that conducting citizen engagement drives culture change within institutions and enhances their capacity to engage more directly and more productively with citizens.

The European Commission staff involved perceived the experience as a learning exercise which led to a greater appreciation for citizen engagement. They spoke of engagement processes' contributing to a change in institutional culture, and expressed greater support for citizen engagement.

According to the survey respondents, the most significant impact observed by public administrations was that citizen engagement processes foster closer connections between citizens and policymaking. The engagement processes also create new networks among stakeholders, civil society and policymakers, as well as across the broader public.

The major contributing factors to impact observed are the level of political commitment to the exercise and the extent of public communication on the underlying topic. Survey respondents frequently cited citizens' concerns and dissatisfaction with the lack of policy impact, in particular the slow follow-up and implementation of recommendations.

This points to the need for thorough planning to anticipate and manage difficulties. The legitimacy and accountability of these processes may be at risk without political commitment to follow-up on recommendations, and support for them may erode if citizens and policymakers cannot see tangible and meaningful outcomes.

In terms of impact on society more broadly, the study shows that participatory processes may expand the public agenda by providing diverse and policy-relevant insights. Participatory exercises can help bridge persisting divides, leading to agreements in situations where policymakers alone often cannot progress.

The report confirms research findings showing that when citizens feel they have a say, they are more likely to trust the government. Furthermore, when citizens know and understand participatory and deliberative processes such as citizens' assemblies, they tend to support them.

Embedding citizen engagement processes in effective manner into existing democratic contexts - such as governance, economic and societal processes - is critical for achieving lasting outcomes. The work carried out by JRC scientists comes as the Commission builds on the Defence of Democracy Package with the European Democracy Shield.

Related content

Impact of Citizen Engagement: Making a difference to policy, institutions and society

Impact of Citizen Engagement: Making a difference to policy, institutions and society (summary)

Closer connection with citizens among impacts seen from citizen participation initiatives in EU

European Commission's Corporate Guidance on Citizen Engagement