Agora, an app for direct dialog between citizens and government

According to the Ministry of Democratic Renewal, one of the objectives of the “Agora - Citoyens & Gouv” application is to better involve the French in the major decisions that concern them; it must allow everyone to express their choices and expectations regarding the public policies put in place.

Users of the Agora application can in particular:

• give their opinion on subjects submitted by members of the government. An average of 4 consultations per month must be offered. A consultation lasts 4 weeks;
• address questions to the government and indicate that they “support” a query by another user by clicking on a button provided for that purpose. Each user can ask a maximum of one question per week and “support” as much as they want.

Each week, the minister concerned, or the government spokesperson, responds in a video posted on the app (also with a textual transcript) to the issue that has attracted the most support. Users can then indicate whether, in their opinion, the Minister actually answered the question asked or whether they did not.

How are the consultations going?

Among the first consultations proposed by departments on enforcement:

• Ecological transition: how to mobilize all? (end of consultation on 29 October);
• How can we make a lasting contribution to energy sobriety? (end of consultation on 29 October);
• Fighting violence against children: talking about it, taking action. (end of consultation on 4 November).

Before participating in a consultation, users can read on the app a text outlining the subject and recalling the objectives pursued by the government. Participants then answer a dozen multiple-choice or free-answer questions, with the possibility of not answering one or more of the questions. Once the questionnaire is completed, participants can consult the results of the multiple-choice questions in the consultation whenever they wish. For open-ended questions, a summary is prepared and made public after the consultation.

At the end of each consultation, the application shall state:

• lessons learned;
• the resulting actions;
• the nature and manner of implementation of the decisions taken.