The session will explore the transformations needed for democratic governments to deliver meaningful change for citizens and earn their trust. Panellists will reflect on the following: What is the vision of the future? What is standing in the way? How can democratic governments get “unstuck”?

This session will begin with a comprehensive presentation of the results of the 2026 edition of the OECD Trust Survey, followed by short reflections from government officials and experts.

Pillar 1 of the Government Unstuck agenda focuses on a new vision for citizens at the heart of reform initiatives and democratic governance. This session will explore how citizens’ understanding and expectations are changing, and how their voices can drive a new model of public governance.

Pillar 2 of the Government Unstuck agenda focuses on a new vision for a radically simplified government. This session will explore how to make government more understandable, accessible and usable for citizens and business, and speed up meaningful delivery of reforms that make a difference in people’s lives.

Pillar 4 of the Government Unstuck agenda focuses on a new vision for a proactive and prepared government. This session will explore how governments can anticipate citizens’ needs and navigate the uncertainties of an increasingly digital, and unpredictable world.

Moderators of the mornings’ parallel sessions will identify key insights from their discussions and shift the focus from vision towards implementation.

The development of more autonomous and agentic AI systems presents new opportunities for anticipatory government and proactive service delivery, as well as implications for citizen agency, autonomy and trust. This session will explore the possible impacts of new technology, with the potential to redefine the relationship between citizen and State.

Profound changes in today’s increasingly fragmented and individualised information ecosystem result in big challenges for public communication. In many cases, government messaging struggles to break through, appears too often as political positioning, or as top-down information sharing. This session will draw on cutting-edge practices to explore how governments can move from traditional information dissemination towards engaging and credible two-way forms of communication and active listening that build understanding, strengthen trust, and lay the groundwork for effective public action.

Evidence from the OECD Trust Survey shows that whether people feel they have a meaningful voice in public decision-making is one of the strongest drivers of trust. When people do not see how their views are considered, even technically sound reforms can face resistance, delays, and failure. This session will draw on OECD work on open government, including recent experiences in Australia and Spain, to explore how policymakers can support a thriving civic space, create the conditions for citizen participation, and ensure that civic engagement – online and offline – feeds meaningfully into decision‑making in practice.