Hansa wasn’t a democracy or an autocracy — in my understanding, it was an entirely consensus-based organization. At the Bremen town hall, I learned about the tagfahrt, where they would wait for the representatives to come to consensus. Once they started the meeting, it would continue for days until they actually reached consensus.

Just like European Council or NATO.

In European Council proposal will only be adopted if all member states are in agreeance. Formal voting does not take place, the member states deliberate until they reach general agreement.

NATO is the same. Any Article consultations like Article 4, or 5 end with consensus. One country can water it down.

Consensus based does not mean equal. Big participants usually throw their weight around a lot.