Andorra Citizens' Assembly Launches Second Phase for Long-Term Strategy

The Citizens' Assembly for the "Tracem el futur d’Andorra en un món que canvia" process launched its second phase on Tuesday at the Congress Centre in Andorra la Vella. The 50 participants, chosen from 457 to nearly 480 voluntary applicants, began sorting and prioritizing more than 100 proposals gathered during the initial phase to form strategic guidelines for Andorra's development over the next 25 to 30 years.

The group mirrors Andorra's society through balanced representation across nationality, gender parity, age groups, parishes, employment status, education levels, economic sectors, and household structures. Co-president of the Steering Committee Manel Riera, who shares the role with Elisenda Vives, described the strong applicant turnout as evidence of keen public engagement.

This phase builds on consultations from last October, which included open public debates and targeted sessions with associations. Those efforts produced ideas across five key areas: health and social welfare; energy transition and environment; demographics, housing, territorial planning, and connectivity; economic diversification and digital transformation; and identity, culture, and education. Proposals were gathered openly, without seeking consensus, Riera noted. Now, over three days from January 13 to 15, members aim to cluster similar suggestions, rank them, and craft realistic yet ambitious lines of action through "collective intelligence," addressing Andorra's absence of a defined national model.

The assembly will produce a public report in March for distribution to government bodies, communes, and parliamentary groups. Though non-binding—"obviously, the results cannot be binding," Riera emphasized—the initiative enjoys support across the political spectrum, either explicit or implicit, raising expectations that parties will consider its recommendations. Past reports from bodies like Andorra Research and Innovation or the Chamber of Commerce faced similar uncertain fates, with no guaranteed parliamentary review. Final results will return to the public by the end of the first quarter of 2026 following synthesis.

Secretary of State for Equality and Citizen Participation Mariona Cadena called the stage "decisive." The Steering Committee also includes ministers Mònica Bonell and Helena Mas, General Councillors Meritxell López, Mari Àngels Aché, and Susanna Vela, as well as mayors Jordi Alcobé of Canillo and Sofia Cortesao of Sant Julià de Lòria, plus citizen representatives. Riera stressed the process's high reliability despite not capturing every viewpoint exactly.