Should we ditch going to the polls?

Belgium is the only country in the world to have a permanent assembly of citizens who are selected by drawing lots – which might come as a surprise, given that it’s a nation known for its political, electoral and institutional complexity, and one which broke world records after going 18 months without a government. At a time when voters have never been so disillusioned, François Gonce takes us on a tour of this and other initiatives that have made Belgium a pioneer in democratic innovation. What is their real impact and what lessons can we learn from them?

This programme by Belgian broadcaster RTBF is part of the European Collection, a joint initiative from European public service media (ARD, ARTE, France Télévisions, SRG SSR, RTBF and ZDF), coordinated by ARTE.