Organizational principles of the 500-member Council

The important institutions of Athenian democracy are the citizens' assembly, the 500-member parliament and the people's court. The 500-member committee is a subsidiary body of the General Assembly. Its duty is to prepare proposals for the parliament and preside over the parliament. During the recess of the two citizens' congresses, the Council is the highest authority of the congresses and is responsible for supervising administrative officials to implement the resolutions of the congresses. The members of the board of directors shall be drawn by lot, and the number of places shall be distributed in proportion to the number of citizens in each grass-roots administrative unit.