Quality deliberation can only take place if all sides of the argument are heard. The credibility of Deliberative Polling in fact rests on two key considerations : the scientific representativeness of the sample (TNS Sofres will be conducting all polling aspects of Tomorrow’s Europe), and the impartiality of the information provided.

The process will indeed only be credible if it is impartial. We wish to take every precaution to ensure that citizens are allowed to form their own view.

In particular :

 The participants are not self-invited: we bring together a representative sample of EU citizens, through scientific random sampling. In particular, we correct the fact that in such an exercise people who are better off take part more easily by providing all participants with a small honorarium. Past Deliberative Polls show that such precautions ensure a high level of representativeness of the final sample.

- The citizens taking part in the deliberation will receive balanced information before the deliberation. Our scientific advisers oversee the methodological precautions described above. A ‘Reading Committee’ composed of political representatives from a wide diversity of parties and views on EU matters will read the material provided to participants and assess its impartiality.

 During the deliberation, professional moderators will ensure that everyone has a chance to talk. Experts will be chosen in order to provide a balanced a diverse range of views. The panel of politicians will also be balanced, including a diversity of countries represented, an equal number of politicians from left, centre and right leaning parties, and ‘Eurosceptics’ and ‘Euroenthusiasts’.

A rigorous methodology

Deliberative Polling® has succeeded in providing a structure for balanced dialogue on more than 30 occasions, in some cases on matters as controversial as education programmes in Northern Ireland. It uses the latest research in social science and conforms to a precise methodology. The process is followed by a scientific committee, which includes high-ranking international experts responsible for ensuring the quality of the deliberation.

The ambition with Tomorrow’s Europe is to promote new, rigorous tools of governance across borders, and to allow citizen’s considered opinions to emerge, not a particular view of European integration.

13 August 2007