DEMOCRATIC EUROPE
The upcoming European elections will be critical for the future of Europe, but elections alone are not enough to save democracy in Europe. Too little action has been taken over the last 5 years to ensure a more democratic and sustainable Europe, while the challenges to the European project have risen significantly. We need the new European Parliament to be the Parliament of Change by taking the lead in a comprehensive democratic reform of the EU.
Now The Citizens Campaign
Therefore, the upcoming European Parliament should take the lead in the democratic reform of the EU involving the design of a roadmap for democratic reform to include at least the following elements:
1. Organize citizens’ assemblies at the national and/or EU-level.
We want to give citizens control over the future of Europe – their own future – by involving them in a credible and proactive manner in the much-needed democratic reform of the EU. Citizens should have the possibility to set the democratic reform agenda of the EU institutions, rather than the other way around. As a starting point,randomly-selected citizens’ assemblies, supported by expert input, are to develop concrete recommendations on the democratic future of Europe so that politicians receive well-informed and unbiased political recommendations from citizens.
2. Prompt responses and adequate follow-up on citizens’ recommendations by the EU institutions by means of legislative proposals for Treaty change involving a new convention.
The Convention process (Art. 48 Lisbon Treaty) is the only legally valid way of achieving substantive changes to the EU Treaties in a more open and democratic way. Citizens can only develop a sense of ownership in the EU if they are given a hand and a say in shaping the future of the European project. Citizen participation cannot remain limited to specific policy areas but must concern the very democratic structure and functioning of the EU, as this provides the foundation and operational framework for all other political activities of and within the EU.
3. Give citizens a final say on the outcome of a possible Convention.
The outcome should be given the opportunity to be considered by all Europeans in order to be a truly democratic and inclusive process from start to finish. All citizens of the EU must be given the right to vote on the proposals for a new Treaty in order to ensure broad support among the population.
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For more information, visit the Now The Citizens Website
Open letter (to be signed by CSOs)
The On Our Watch project brings together Civil Society Organisations working on all kind of topics. As representatives of and in direct contact with citizens, organisations have a strong role to play in holding the European Parliament accountable to the public. By joining forces in the context of the #EUelections2019 (23-26 May), On Our Watch offers a comprehensive overview of the key issues that European citizens care about.
Want to join? Get in touch! Contact: christian.skriverik[@]europeanmovemnt.eu | Address: Place du Luxembourg 2, B-1050, Brussels | Phone: +32 2 508 30 83