Citizen Assembly on the Political Participation of Migrants in Slovenia “Political Participation for All – Towards a Europe of Equals”

The Peace Institute is organizing a Citizen Assembly on the political participation of migrants in Slovenia. Recognizing that a truly democratic society depends on the active engagement and equal rights of all its members, this event will explore the opportunities for migrants to participate politically and be fully integrated into society.

The assembly will take place on:

• Thursday, 12 June at 15.30
• African Village Festival, Špica, Ljubljana

In Slovenia, the political participation of migrants has been partially addressed through amendments to key legislation. The 2002 revision of the 1993 Local Elections Act granted the right to vote in local elections to foreigners with permanent residence—but excluded those with temporary residence or those seeking asylum. Meanwhile, the 1994 Political Parties Act was amended to allow EU citizens to join Slovenian political parties, but still excludes most other foreigners, such as citizens of former Yugoslav republics, who represent a significant portion of Slovenia’s migrant population.

There are a few promising initiatives at the local level. Some municipalities—such as Idrija, Postojna, and Trbovlje—have started experimenting with Migrant Advisory Boards, and the City of Ljubljana has established a Working Group for the creation of such a board. Nevertheless, migrants and their representatives remain severely underrepresented in public bodies, political parties, and civic initiatives at the local, regional, and national levels.

We invite all interested citizens and non-citizens, NGOs, civil society representatives, local authorities, and anyone else who wishes to contribute their thoughts and experiences.

The assembly will focus on three key areas:

1. Education and Awareness: Raising awareness among local, regional, national, and EU authorities about the value of migrant participation. Promoting policies that recognize and encourage the active involvement of migrants in public bodies related to integration, diversity, and inclusion.
2. Trust and Engagement: Building trust between migrant communities and public authorities, while fostering stronger cooperation across all levels of government.
3. Improving Integration: Enhancing integration programs—especially in the areas of housing, employment, language education, political education, and civic participation. This also includes better financial support for migrant organizations and their media outlets.

A Citizens’ Assembly is one of the democratic tools that amplifies the voice of the people in discussions and decision-making on matters of public interest. In Slovenia, legislation allows for the organization of assemblies for consultation at the municipal level. At the same time, we understand assemblies more broadly—as a form of consultation, deliberation, and citizen participation in democracy at various levels, with the aim of influencing matters of common concern. The assembly takes place as a structured meeting where specific social issues are discussed and voted on—in our case, the political participation of migrants. The goal of the meeting is for participants to formulate recommendations and proposals that contribute to improving the current situation. A citizens’ assembly does not replace democratically elected bodies in the country, but the outcomes of such meetings are intended to enrich decision-making processes and can lead to better policies.

The Assembly is part of the international project Citizens’ Action for Democracy – CitiDem, co-financed by the European Union under the CERV programme.