Abstract:  Tunisia and Lebanon, two states with distinct political trajectories, face converging crises of democratic governance marked by systemic corruption, economic hardship, and public disillusionment. Tunisia’s democratic gains following the Arab Spring are now threatened by authoritarian regression, while Lebanon’s consociational power-sharing system has led to institutional paralysis. Despite these challenges, both countries retain vibrant civil societies, histories of mobilisation, and a desire for participatory governance, offering entry points for democratic innovation. This article explores the potential of citizens’ assemblies (CAs) in these contexts and their possible contribution to fostering new political imaginaries and forms of democratic participation within limited institutionalisation. While CAs have gained traction in the Global North as institutionalised deliberative processes, their application in politically fragile contexts in the Global South raises critical questions around context, adaptability, and legitimacy. Drawing on a four-year multi-sited fieldwork study and three case studies of CAs on energy justice in Lebanon and Tunisia, this article examines how CAs can be designed and implemented amid politically volatile environments and failing institutions. Ultimately, the article contributes to democratic debates on democratic innovation by highlighting the trade-offs between institutionalisation and transformative potential. It positions CAs not as universal models, but as agile democratic tools that can empower citizens and foster alternative bottom-up governance imaginaries.

Keywords:  Arab countries; authoritarian regimes; citizens’ assemblies; decolonisation; deliberative processes; democratic innovations; Global South; institutionalisation; Middle East; SWANA region; participatory processes

Published:   Ahead of Print

Issue:   Vol 14 (2026): Towards an Innovative Democracy: Institutionalizing Participation in Challenging Times (In Progress)