Brussels, May 31 2009:
The three-day intensive EuroPolis seminar concluded today with a plenary session with Estonian President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, former Italian prime minister Giuliano Amato, former Danish MEP Jens Peter Bonde, and former Belgian deputy prime minister Isabelle Durant.

The participants from across the EU who took part in this event just outside Brussels were able to put their questions on immigration, climate change and EU decision-making to the politicians and to experts.

EuroPolis organised this Deliberative Polling experiment as part of its investigation into how far European democracy can be served by informed debate. The participants, a scientifically selected sample from all 27 member states, have been engaged since Friday in discussions with one another and with experts, in small groups and full plenary sessions, to explore and exchange views on the topics of immigration, climate change and EU decision-making.

On their arrival last Friday, the participants all completed a questionnaire on these topics. Today they also completed a similar questionnaire just before their departure. Now the EuroPolis team is analysing the results of these two surveys, to assess how far opinions and attitudes have been modified by the opportunity for informed discussion over the weekend.

The initial results of this analysis will be released this Wednesday, June 3, at a press conference at 14.30 in the International Press Centre, Residence Palace, Brussels (Magritte Room), with the international researchers conducting the project – including project leader Professor PierangeIo Isernia of Siena, Professor James Fishkin of Stanford, and Professor Robert Luskin of the University of Texas at Austin and Stanford.

Notes for editors
The participants were selected from among more than European 4,000 citizens polled over recent weeks across the 27 member states for their views on immigration, climate change and European decision-making.
EuroPolis is testing how far public interest and participation in EU politics can be reignited if citizens are given the opportunity to discuss and develop informed policy preferences. It is a carefully designed experiment that will assess how political and social attitudes toward EU issues change as a result of exposure to information, and what implications this has for political participation and voter turnout.

Further information: EuroPolis press office europolismedia@gmail.com