Scaling up? Unpacking the effect of deliberative mini-publics on legitimacy perceptions

Germann, Micha; Marien, Sofie; Muradova, Lala

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/00323217221137444

Scaling up? Unpacking the effect of deliberative mini-publics on legitimacy perceptions

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Germann M, Marien S, Muradova L. Scaling up? Unpacking the effect of deliberative mini-publics on legitimacy perceptions. Polit Stud. 2024;72(2):677-700. DOI: 10.1177/00323217221137444

Abstract

Deliberative mini-publics are increasingly used to try to tackle public discontent with the functioning of democracy. However, the ability of mini-publics to increase perceptions of legitimate decision-making among citizens at large remains unclear, given especially that existing studies have not considered the potentially damaging effects of mini-public recommendations not being followed. We designed, pre-registered, and ran a survey experiment in Ireland to test the effects of mini-publics on legitimacy perceptions conditional on whether or not their non-binding policy recommendations are honored (N = 1309). We find that mini-publics increase legitimacy perceptions among the broader citizenry; however, these beneficial effects are largely limited to situations in which their recommendations are honored. Additional results suggest that it makes no difference whether mini-public recommendations are overturned by elected representatives or by citizens in a referendum. Finally, we find that the legitimacy-enhancing effects of participatory processes are driven by citizens with low political trust.