The Norwegian ‘Future Panel’

During the winter and spring of 2025, 56 ordinary citizens from all over Norway met in the Future Panel – Norway’s first civil society-initiated citizens’ consultation. We Do Democracy, together with SoCentral, was the third-party secretariat. Members learned, discussed and made recommendations on how Norway should use its wealth in the best way for the world, Norway and future generations.

The 56 Norwegians were a representative group of ordinary citizens and were asked to come up with solutions together. The Future Panel was commissioned by six civil society institutions: WWF, Save the Children, Caritas Norway, Framtiden i våre hender, LNU and Langsikt.

The Future Panel was to answer the question – “how can Norway use its wealth for the good of the world, ourselves and future generations?” The Citizens’ Parliament was to develop concrete recommendations that could influence the national conversation in Norway and the six principals. The Citizens’ Parliament lived up to the OECD’s recommendations.

This is the first time that We Do Democracy has conducted a national citizens’ consultation commissioned by civil society. At the same time, we did it in collaboration with SoCentral in Norway. We also worked together with SoCentral on the first national Citizens’ Parliament. We jointly conducted a process where ordinary Norwegians had the opportunity to dive into the topic and develop recommendations across their diversity. The partnership with SoCentral enabled us to bring our knowledge of Citizens’ Councils into play in Norway and inspire the rest of the Nordic region and learn more about working with civil society-initiated Citizens’ Councils ourselves.

40,000 Norwegians were invited to participate in the panel. Of the nearly 4,000 who signed up, 66 were selected by lottery.

During the winter of 2025, the members met and spent over 50 hours delving into the topic and developing recommendations. Overall, the members believe that “Norway has a responsibility. We want to be a country that takes care of both people and nature, that thinks long-term and that others can look up to.”

On May 13, 2025, the Norwegian Parliament delivered its 19 recommendations for how Norway should spend its wealth. It took place in the Norwegian Parliament. It was attended by the commissioners, but also representatives of the Norwegian government.

The process has followed the OECD principles for deliberative processes in public decision-making.

Watch the launch of the Citizens’ Parliament recommendations in Parliament here: https://www.youtube.com/live/iRHPT_L_l88

The recommendation report can be found here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lnG08Y9yCpDMMwhboN6iDZVjqpHs4z9P/view