Housing in Europe: share your experience
This Dialogue is part of the EU-CIEMBLY project, a transnational initiative enhancing citizen participation in European democracy. Over the course of four weeks, people from all parts of Europe are invited to share their experiences and ideas on housing exclusion, inequality and access. All of these contributions will feed the discussion of a transnational Citizens' Assembly involving participants across the EU, which you could also be part of.
Why it matters
Across Europe, many people struggle to find housing that is secure, adequate and affordable. Additionally, the housing crisis does not affect everyone equally. Factors such as age, income, gender, disability, origin and location can overlap, creating additional barriers for certain individuals and communities.
This Dialogue provides a space to discuss these inequalities and identify who is most affected. Contributions will inform the EU-CIEMBLY transnational Citizens' Assembly, where participants from EU Member States will assess whether current European policies adequately address people's needs and propose practical measures to improve housing access, affordability and protection.
About EU-CIEMBLY
EU-CIEMBLY - Creating an Inclusive European Citizens' Assembly - is an international research project funded by the European Union's Horizon Europe programme.
The project brings together civil society organisations, academic institutions and European partners to develop and test a new model of Citizens' Assembly. Its aim is to make democratic participation more inclusive, equal and representative, particularly for people whose voices are too often excluded.
By combining research, evaluation and real-world pilots, EU-CIEMBLY is creating a prototype that can be adapted for use at European, national and local levels. Ultimately, the project seeks to strengthen citizens' influence over decisions that affect their lives.
Key objectives
EU-CIEMBLY works towards four main objectives:
- Develop an intersectional framework that considers how overlapping inequalities and power relations affect participation in Citizens' Assemblies.
- Evaluate existing practices at local, national and EU levels to identify barriers to inclusive and equal participation.
- Pilot a new model of Citizens' Assembly designed to support diverse, accessible and meaningful deliberation.
- Recommend reforms by producing practical guidelines and policy recommendations for more inclusive Citizens' Assemblies across Europe.
From local pilots to a European conversation
EU-CIEMBLY is testing its Citizens’ Assembly model at different levels of democratic decision-making. First, a local pilot in Colchester brought together 50 residents and students to discuss housing challenges affecting the city and the University of Essex community. Following this, a national pilot in Cyprus involved 60 residents from across the country to develop proposals on housing issues.
Building on these experiences, a transnational pilot now connects citizens from EU Member States to explore housing exclusion, inequality and access for those most affected by the housing crisis. Two digital tools will support the process: Dialogue, an interactive platform gathering citizens’ experiences and ideas, and Panoramic, an AI-supported knowledge base helping participants explore trusted project materials before and during the Assembly.
About Make.org
Make.org is a European civic technology company working at the intersection of democracy and technology. We develop technological solutions that enable broad public participation while addressing the risks and challenges associated with digital democratic processes.
As an EU-CIEMBLY partner, Make.org provides the technological tools supporting the Citizens' Assemblies. The multilingual Dialogue platform enables people to share experiences, respond to proposals and identify priorities before the transnational assembly.