Listening across generations: a councillor's take from the Citizens' Panel in Brussels

The Citizens' Panel on Intergenerational Fairness was an enriching experience for me, focused on unity and exchange. It was fascinating to see people from varied backgrounds and ages come together to discuss the challenges of creating a shared, fair future for all. As an observer, I had the opportunity to see important topics being discussed in working groups, bridging generational and linguistic divides to engage with vital topics, aiming to produce impactful and widely accepted statements from the panel. The gathering became especially lively within smaller working groups, where participants discussed intensely and passionately about finding the right wording, always maintaining a cooperative and collaborative spirit. Although these discussions were sometimes challenging, they were incredibly enlightening and gave a deep, meaningful insight into what intergenerational fairness could truly mean. The broad consensus on key subjects reached by the end was impressive.

In my role as the senior representative and an elected member of Mariahilf’s District Council in the heart of Vienna, I am committed to spreading these valuable insights within my community and continue to inform about them. Intergenerational fairness is not just a buzzword for me; it is a socio-political necessity that concerns us all. In future events and discussions, I want to incorporate the discussions and results from the Citizens' Panel to encourage my fellow citizens to become actively involved in the topic. 

For anyone who gets the chance to participate in a Citizens' Panel, I can only encourage them to seize this opportunity. The results of the panel in addition to my experience having been there live, clearly demonstrate its importance and are a valuable contribution to society – present and future. Therefore, I am happy and grateful to have been part of this engaged exchange. In conclusion, I would summarise my participation in the Citizens' Panel as an experience I would not want to miss, and which has strengthened my conviction and belief in the vision of a continued united Europe. 

Strengthening democracy starts with having a say, across nations, communities, generations. That's what Gottfried Wolfgang Sommer found when he took a seat at the European Citizens’ Panels (which bring together EU citizens to engage them on major topics impacting the life of society). 
Between May-December 2026, the EU is inviting citizens to contribute views and ideas on a new big topic: how to strengthen democratic resilience, launched in May on Citizens’ Engagement Platform.