Delibera Peru: A transformative experience in citizen dialogue

Delibera Peru: A transformative experience in citizen dialogue

Delibera Peru was designed as an encounter of randomly selected citizens to discuss proposals for improving citizen participation and political representation in Peru. Based on the deliberative methodology of Stanford University's Deliberative Democracy Lab, this innovative project drew lessons from successful experiences in countries such as France, Ireland, the United States and Chile, where citizen deliberation has helped address complex issues that legislators often find difficult to resolve.

In Peru, International IDEA conducted a virtual pilot experience in 2022 and 2023. By 2024, the challenge was not only to meet all methodological requirements but also to organize the first-ever face-to-face experience. This initiative aimed to create an unprecedented opportunity to renew participating citizens' optimism about democracy.

According to an IPSOS Perú survey in January 2024, Peruvians rated the quality of democracy at 7 out of 20 points. Although 43 per cent still prefer democracy as a system of government, this percentage has declined over the last three years. Democratic governments have failed to meet the basic needs of citizens, fuelling a sense of frustration. So we have a scenario of disaffected democrats. 

Moreover, interest in politics is low: only 38 per cent of respondents said they were somewhat or very interested in politics, and only 15 per cent considered themselves informed. This is compounded by high levels of interpersonal distrust (64% have little or no trust in other Peruvians) and a growing sense of insecurity that makes it difficult to be open to unfamiliar initiatives.

In this context, getting people to agree to participate in Delibera Peru was a major challenge. However, the invited citizens overcame their reservations and accepted the invitation: "Would you like to come to Lima for a weekend to discuss democracy with 200 other Peruvians?

They said yes!            

In order to guarantee the methodological standards of the activity, it was necessary to create a representative and valid sample, which was the main challenge of the process. Instituto de Estudios Peruanos initially calculated a panel of 18,000 people, which was expanded to 32,000 as the project progressed. From these lists, an initial sample of 700 people was defined, which was then increased to 1,800. From this group, 177 participants eventually confirmed their participation in the activity.

Those selected represented an extraordinary diversity, coming from 24 regions and 126 districts across the country. Among them were Ruth and Gladys, from Junín and Apurímac respectively, who left their regions for the first time at the age of 20; Victorio, 82, from the district of Huari, in Áncash, who was the oldest participant; and Peruvians from hard-to-reach areas, such as Susy Cuadros, 51, from the district of Huepetuhe, in Madre de Dios, and Luisimar Catashunga, 43, from Santa Rosa de Yavarí, Loreto, on the border with Colombia and Brazil. The participation of Vanesa Chávez, 27, from Contamana, Loreto, was also notable.

All of them were followed for weeks by a team of people who had to talk to their families, as they need to make sure that IDEA was running the activity for real. They were confronted with the fear of being deceived and the fear of being exposed to a situation that would endanger them or affect their physical integrity. Once they were convinced, they signed the terms and conditions that guaranteed their participation. 

Difficult road conditions in Peru meant that many people had to travel many hours by road, and in some cases by river, before reaching the nearest airport were a plane could take them to Lima.

Creating the best atmosphere

The next challenge was to get 177 people - total strangers to each other - to end the weekend as ambassadors for democracy, fully committed democrats. Of course, the most important part of the weekend would take place in the small group deliberations and plenary sessions. But for this to happen, we needed to create a climate of trust, respect and equality among the deliberants.

The experience gained from other activities in the Peru Conversa project, such as the regional dialogue spaces, together with the lessons learned from the virtual deliberation pilots, allowed us to identify key areas for improvement. One of the most important decisions was to establish clear rules of coexistence: guidelines, values and protocols to guide the behaviour of deliberants, facilitators and organisers. These tools helped to create a climate of trust and respect in which participants felt empowered to express their ideas and opinions, while at the same time fostering mutual respect among participants and their points of view.

To this end, on Friday 4 October, the day of the deliberants' arrival, a dynamic was implemented to welcome them to the deliberation methodology and to allow the deliberants to recognise their personal and cultural similarities and differences. In a country with 55 indigenous peoples and 48 languages, this activity was key to creating an atmosphere of trust, breaking down initial barriers and breaking the ice between participants.

The venue and materials were also adapted to reflect the spirit of dialogue and understanding. Inspirational phrases such as 'Let's talk again' adorned polo shirts and banners, while notebooks contained messages encouraging people to speak up without fear. Even the tote bags emphasised the importance of dialogue by comparing it to an essential element of life, as basic as bread.

Dialogue 

Saturday 5 October was the central day of Delibera Peru, dedicated to debates and dialogues in small groups on the proposed thematic axes. To this end, 17 face-to-face rooms and 2 virtual rooms were set up, facilitated by a team of 24 moderators. Their work was essential in guiding the discussions and ensuring the equal participation of all participants. The pilot experience had highlighted the importance of this role, as social and cultural differences in the country often influence the dynamics of participation and limit the participation of some people compared to others.

In the area of civic participation, issues such as the voluntary nature of voting and the possibility of including deliberative mechanisms in public decision-making at local level were addressed. In the area of political representation, the debate focused on the relevance of regional movements, the political representation of ethno-cultural minorities (indigenous, aboriginal and Afro-Peruvian peoples) and the proposal to renew the Congress of the Republic by thirds.

In most cases, participants had not had the opportunity to discuss these issues, let alone with people outside their circle of trust. In addition, most of them had no prior training on these issues, which made the information materials produced by International IDEA essential to enrich the discussions.

At the conclusion of each discussion, the deliberative groups brought their questions and concerns to plenary sessions, where a panel of experts clarified doubts and offered deeper insights into the issues and proposals debated. After each thematic session, these panels addressed approximately 15 questions generated by the participants within their groups. The experts not only responded to the queries but also shared additional data and context to enhance understanding.

The panels featured nine distinguished experts with diverse academic backgrounds, varying ages, and a range of political perspectives. Notable contributors included Jeffrey Radzinsky, Delia Muñoz, Zaraí Toledo, and Fernando Tincopa, who tackled the topic of citizen participation. Meanwhile, Narda Carranza, Paulo Vilca, Jorge Aragón, Eduardo Vega, and Macarena Costa Checa explored political representation.

This diverse array of perspectives allowed deliberants to engage with contrasting viewpoints, enriching their understanding and empowering them to form well-rounded conclusions on the topics discussed.

Observed activity 

International DEA presented the initiative to a broad stakeholder group of at least 60 people, 22 of whom decided to participate as observers. These participants came from different sectors, such as social, political and market research, as well as international, electoral and business organisations. The observers evaluated the deliberation process with an interest in exploring the potential of the methodology used and its applicability in other contexts.

Their role was not only to identify insights and premises in citizens' argumentation, but also to make recommendations for improving the process and to highlight the strengths of the methodology for future implementation.

Final evaluation 

Gathering feedback from the deliberants on their experience was an important part of the activity. For this reason, on Sunday, October 6th, a synthesis activity was conducted to allow participants to express their perceptions of the event, the methodology, and their willingness to participate in similar events. Most participants were enthusiastic about the event, stressing the need for similar experiences in other settings and committing to apply what they had learned in their own communities. They also wanted to address other issues they deemed important in other contexts. Key issues included citizen insecurity, health, and the role of authorities.

The challenge for International IDEA now is to turn the deliberants into a network of ambassadors for democracy in their communities and immediate surroundings. Delibera Peru was not only a democratic exercise, but a transformative space that demonstrated the power of dialogue in a polarised society. It shows that, with the right methods, it is possible to rebuild trust in democracy and build bridges between citizens.