Turns out you don't need a large pool of citizens for a debate, well at least with the EU...
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/18/eu-citizens-debate-future-europe-talks
I like this from that plonker guy vehstoft
Guy Verhofstadt, the veteran EU politician and a co-chair of the conference, dismissed suggestions that the absence of many citizens at the start undermines the legitimacy of the project. “The decisions will not be taken in June. The decisions will be taken in March, in February [2022] when the conclusions will be taken,” he said this week. “What you are saying is that the whole purpose of this conference is to liaise with citizens. Not at all. The purpose of this conference is to elaborate a vision, a new vision of the future of Europe ... and we want to do that based on the input of citizens.”
It's basically the EU trying to pay lip service to citizens of EU nations to try and persuade them they have learnt from brexit...
Even the guardian seem a bit dumbfounded by the situation and the response of the EU.
https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2021/jun/18/eu-citizens-debate-future-europe-talks
I like this from that plonker guy vehstoft
Guy Verhofstadt, the veteran EU politician and a co-chair of the conference, dismissed suggestions that the absence of many citizens at the start undermines the legitimacy of the project. “The decisions will not be taken in June. The decisions will be taken in March, in February [2022] when the conclusions will be taken,” he said this week. “What you are saying is that the whole purpose of this conference is to liaise with citizens. Not at all. The purpose of this conference is to elaborate a vision, a new vision of the future of Europe ... and we want to do that based on the input of citizens.”
It's basically the EU trying to pay lip service to citizens of EU nations to try and persuade them they have learnt from brexit...
Even the guardian seem a bit dumbfounded by the situation and the response of the EU.