European Civic Technology and Citizen Participation in the Age of AI

This paper, the product of a collaboration between the Bertelsmann Stiftung and Sitra, was discussed intensely at the Political Tech Summit (PTS) held in Berlin in January 2026. It was then edited into this final version and supplemented with quotes from the event.

Summary

This paper explores how civic technology (civic tech) – that is, the use of digital technology to strengthen democracy by informing people, enabling participation and improving government accountability – can enhance citizen participation in Europe at a time of declining trust, polarization, and increasingly AI- and platform-shaped political communication. Taking a needs-based perspective, it outlines:

(i) what citizens require for participation to be accessible, safe and easy to fit into their everyday lives – while also remaining politically meaningful;

(ii) what civic tech providers need to deliver trustworthy and scalable solutions (including sustainable funding, interoperability, open source-friendly procurement and clearer compliance pathways); and

(iii) what public administrations need in order to adopt and effectively integrate civic tech alongside government capacities. Building on these considerations, the paper asks how civil society and foundations can help increase participation quality, reduce fragmentation through a stronger civic tech ecosystem, and support safe, accountable experimentation with AI.