Citizens Take Over Europe is a coalition of civil society organizations, citizens, and residents from across Europe that formed in the spring of 2020 during the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The group emerged in response to what its founders saw as a persistent lack of meaningful European democracy and limited citizen involvement in shaping the continent’s future, particularly as national leaders appeared divided on major challenges facing Europe.
The coalition’s work began as an organized reaction to the launch of the European Union’s Conference on the Future of Europe, which members criticized for offering only superficial avenues for citizen participation. As an alternative, Citizens Take Over Europe held its own transnational online conference on Europe Day, May 9, inviting diverse participants to openly discuss problems and solutions from a political, social, and personal standpoint.
Since its founding, the coalition has expanded to include over 50 organizations and has undertaken several concrete projects. These include organizing a series of online conferences and workshops aimed at fostering cross-border dialogue, and submitting open letters to European leaders, such as Angela Merkel, advocating for more transparent and inclusive democratic processes. The collective also develops and promotes criteria for participatory, deliberative decision-making at the European level.
Active throughout Europe, the coalition maintains an ongoing presence with projects and advocacy campaigns that emphasize direct citizen involvement and experiment with new methods for public engagement in EU policy development. The group’s activities continue to be coordinated by its member organizations, each bringing perspectives from their respective countries and fields.