In a sleepy corner of Belgium, a democratic experiment is under way. On September 16th, 24 randomly chosen Germa-nophones from the country's eastern fringe took their seats in a Citizens' Council. They will have the power to tell elected officials which issues matter, and for each such issue to task a Citizens' Assembly (also chosen at random) with brainstorming ideas on how to solve them. It's an engaged citizen's dream come true. Belgium's German-speakers are an often-overlooked minority next to their Francophone and Flemish countrymen. They are few in number—just 76,000 people out of a population of 11m—yet have a distinct identity, shaped by their proximity to Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. Thanks to Belgium's federal system the community is thought to be the smallest region of the eu with its own legislative powers: a parliament of 25 representatives and a government of four decides on policies related to issues including education, sport, training and child benefits.
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