Can democracy still deliver?

Democracy has largely been reduced to elections. But voting alone may no longer be enough to navigate complex, long-term challenges.

Can groups of citizens, when properly selected and informed, contribute to better decisions than traditional political structures? And if so, what would it take to integrate such models without weakening existing institutions?

Lex Paulson brings a perspective shaped by both political practice and institutional work. He contributed to Barack Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, served as legislative counsel in the U.S. Congress, and now leads the School of Collective Intelligence at UM6P while teaching at Sciences Po.

Drawing on examples from across Europe and beyond, this conversation will examine not just the promise of new democratic models, but their limits: legitimacy, scalability and political resistance.