Peoples' hearing
A people’s hearing is a special method of discussion and opinion-forming on political questions. A representative sample of voters is selected, i.e. not only those who normally turn up at meetings.
They then get written material and presentations and are offered the opportunity to participate in group discussions and formulate questions for experts and politicians. Both before and after the event, the participants’ attitudes are assessed.
The people’s hearing was used in Denmark before the EMU referendum in 2000, and again after the rejection of the proposed Constitution. The people’s hearing is an extended form of focus group research.