With the Constituency Days, Hallo Bundestag aims to institutionalise a permanent, low-threshold dialogue format between randomly selected people and members of the federal German parliament.
Problems and Purpose
Germany’s democracy currently faces three interconnected crises that the project Hallo Bundestag seeks to address: a crisis of representation, a crisis of social cohesion, and a crisis of engagement.
Growing mistrust between citizens and federal politics has weakened the representative link, while polarization, disinformation, and social inequalities erode social trust and engagement [1]. Unequal access to political participation further amplifies exclusion and a sense of powerlessness [2].
| Hallo Bundestag responds to these challenges through Constituency Days, which are one-day, dialogue-based events that bring randomly selected people together with their Members of the German Bundestag (MPs). The format makes political representation tangible and fosters trust, empathy, and mutual understanding. It promotes social cohesion by creating respectful spaces for constructive discussion across differences and strengthens civic participation by enabling individuals who have so far been invisible or silent to take part in democratic discourse. The primary goals of Constituency Days are to foster meaningful dialogue, mutual understanding and learning between citizens and MPs. In contrast to citizens' assemblies, they do not produce concrete policy recommendations. Evaluations show that these events sustainably increase trust and democratic engagement among participants [3]. | |
Origins and Development
Constituency Days are one of the most tried-and-tested and well-researched democratic innovations. Positive effects that strengthen democracy were observed both during the pilot phase (2021) and during the proof of concept (2023–2024). Constituency Days are effective because they:
- build trust in politicians, political parties and (national) political processes – particularly among participants who, prior to attending the Constituency Day, expressed little interest in or trust in politics,
- boost participants’ sense of self-efficacy and political engagement,
- enable MPs to establish valuable contact with groups that are otherwise difficult to reach.
The project is implemented by Demokratie Innovation e.V., a non-profit organization based in Berlin. Known for its initiative Es geht LOS, the organization develops and tests innovative, lottery-based, and inclusive participation formats.
Building on the successful pilot experiences, the current project phase (2026–2029) aims to scale Constituency Days nationwide and embed it institutionally within Germany’s parliamentary structures.
Participant Recruitment and Selection
Participants are selected through the Outreach Random Selection Method, designed to reach groups typically excluded from political participation. First, random samples of residents are drawn from registration offices and invited by mail. If recipients do not respond, project staff visit them personally to build trust, identify participation barriers, and offer tailored support (e.g. organization of childcare or translation during the event). Each Constituency Day typically involves 25 randomly selected people from the constituency.
This selection process ensures inclusion of individuals who otherwise would not participate due to limited resources or low interest in political processes. As a one-day event, the format lowers entry barriers and enables a diverse mix of participants in terms of age, gender, education, and migration background. This method has proven particularly effective in engaging politically disengaged citizens and non-voters, contributing to both representational diversity and democratic legitimacy [4].
How it Works: Process, Interaction, and Decision-Making
Each Constituency Day follows a structured yet flexible deliberative process centered on dialogue and mutual learning rather than decision-making.
Phase 1 – Expression of Interest
At least two MPs from the same constituency jointly express their interest in hosting a Constituency Day. Civil society actors are also encouraged to approach their MPs with such requests.
Phase 2 – Selection of Constituencies
The project team selects constituencies from among the interested applicants, ensuring geographical diversity across federal states, inclusion of both structurally strong and weak regions, and participation by MPs from all democratic parties.
Phase 3 – Topic Identification
Topics are identified collaboratively with former participants, MPs, and experts. The project team prepares background materials and discussion guides on a scientific basis, ideally in cooperation with institutions such as the Federal Agency for Civic Education. Topics should touch on the realities of people’s lives and should also be relevant at the national level and across party lines. Issues can range from fundamental questions (e.g. how to reduce polarisation in society) to concrete political topics (e.g. healthcare, mobility, economic development).
Phase 4 – Implementation
A typical event includes:
- Welcome and introduction
- Presentation of the topic and provision of relevant background information
- Small-group deliberations moderated by trained facilitators
- Development of recommendations and dialogue with MPs
- Joint reflection and feedback session
Professional facilitation creates a safer space in which even controversial issues can be discussed respectfully. Ideally, live fact-checking of participants’ and MPs' questions and claims by trained staff is provided to ensure accurate, evidence-based discussion.
Influence, Outcomes, and Effects
Hallo Bundestag institutionalises Constituency Days as a recurring dialogue format that connects citizens and MPs on a local level. The format influences democratic practice by strengthening the representational relationship, rebuilding trust, and demonstrating that direct exchange between citizens and parliamentarians is both feasible and beneficial [5].
Politically, the project encourages MPs and parliamentary institutions to adopt deliberative and participatory approaches to representation. Societally, it integrates underrepresented groups (e.g., non-voters, youth, migrants) into meaningful democratic dialogue. Civically, it empowers local organizations (e.g., museums, adult-education centers, NGOs) to serve as facilitators of democratic participation, thus creating a decentralized network for engagement across Germany [6].
Between 2026 and 2028, at least 50 Electoral District Days are planned nationwide, involving approximately 1,250 participants and 150 MPs. Around 40 partner organizations are being trained and equipped to organize the events independently. Additional outcomes include an institutionalisation strategy, the development of training and communication materials, and national media outreach.
Potential challenges include ensuring consistent quality as the program scales, sustaining funding beyond the project phase, and addressing questions around participation of non-democratic actors. Nonetheless, the method provides a strong, evidence-based approach to addressing Germany’s crises of representation and trust.
Analysis and Lessons Learned
An independent evaluation conducted by e-fect eG and Humboldt University of Berlin (2023–2024) confirmed the effectiveness of the Hallo Bundestag approach in promoting trust, inclusion, and engagement. The Outreach Random Selection Method proved to be highly successful in involving people who are typically absent from political participation, including non-voters, young citizens, and individuals with migration or refugee backgrounds, resulting in highly diverse participant groups.
Participants reported a significant increase in trust toward politicians, political parties, and the Bundestag, especially when MPs from multiple parties attended. MPs themselves characterized the events as democratizing experiences that fostered respectful, constructive dialogue with citizens they rarely encounter. Follow-up surveys four months later showed that participants’ expressed intentions to become more politically active often translated into concrete action, demonstrating the sustainability of the effects.
Key lessons emphasize the importance of adequate resources and skilled facilitation to maintain quality and inclusiveness. Scaling the format nationwide requires structured support for local partners and continuous quality assurance. Finally, long-term democratic impact depends on institutionalizing the method within parliamentary or governmental frameworks to ensure that participatory dialogue becomes a stable feature of Germany’s representative democracy.
See Also
Demokratie Innovation e.V. / Es geht LOS
References
[1] Cf. Zick, A., Küpper, B., Mokros, N. (Hrsg.), Die distanzierte Mitte (2023). Berlin: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung;
Körber Stiftung (2024); Deutschlandmonitor 2024; Lucas et al., Politicians’ Theories of Voting Behavior. American Political Science Review. (2025), 119 (3): 1304-1321;
Stefan Willeke (2025), Verachten Politiker uns? Womöglich gar: zu Recht? (ZEIT Nr. 42/2025)
[2] Cf. Bundesministerium für Familie, Senioren, Frauen und Jugend (2024). Vierter Engagementbericht: Zugangschancen zum freiwilligen Engagement. Drucksache 20/14120;
Boehnke, K., Dragolov, G., Arant, R., Unzicker, K. (2024). Gesellschaftlicher Zusammenhalt in Deutschland 2023: Perspektiven auf das Miteinander in herausfordernden Zeiten. Gütersloh: Bertelsmann Stiftung;
Siefken, S. T. (2013). Repräsentation vor Ort: Selbstverständnis und Verhalten von Bundestagsabgeordneten bei der Wahlkreisarbeit. Zeitschrift für Parlamentsfragen, 44(3), 486-506;
Sohnius, M.-L., Gschwend, T., & Rittmann, O. (2022). Welche Auswirkungen haben größere Wahlkreise auf das politische Verhalten? Ein empirischer Beitrag zur Wahlrechtsreform. Politische Vierteljahresschrift, 63(4), 685–701.;
More in Common & Robert Bosch Stiftung. (2021). Beziehungskrise? Bürger und ihre Demokratie in Deutschland, Frankreich, Großbritannien, Polen und den USA. Stuttgart/Berlin: Robert Bosch Stiftung & More in Common
[3] Cf. Evaluationsbericht Hallo Bundestag; Wappenhans et. al. (2024), The Impact of Citizens’ Assemblies on Democratic Resilience: Evidence from a Field Experiment, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
[4] Cf. ibid.
[5] Cf. ibid.
[6] Cf. ibid.
External Links
Final report – Evaluation of the “Hallo Bundestag” project 2023-2024
Publication of Humboldt University
