Demoicratic catalysts : digital technology and institutional change in the Conference on the Future of Europe

Abstract

The Conference on the Future of Europe sets an incredible precedent for the renewal of democratic practices in the EU. The digital technologies it deploys, together with the institutional change that it has triggered, draw a line for future experiments and, in doing so, tentatively lays down a path for the transnationalisation of demoicratic practices in the region. Additionally, it opens a broader conversation on the role that technology has on change and how it can be harnessed to renew the state of our democracies, rather than being a catalyst for disruption. Through process tracing, I explore the causal mechanisms that determine this change for good and I draw on the experience of the professionals who have designed the Conference to draw lessons for the future.