How can we reconnect the EU and the citizens?

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Publié lundi 7 janvier 2008 à 10h49
par lolomodrego Devenir militant(e) du PSE (vu 1163 fois et 3 commentaires)

There is a clear disconnection between the EU and its citizens. Although this is easily explainable it is not sustainable in the long term. Democratic regimes cannot afford to cut citizens loose, citizens’ participation being itself the principle of democracy. How can we develop citizens’ interest in EU activities?

First, citizens need to be given the means to have an influence on the decisions taken at EU level. They need to be given a real opportunity to shape the EU’s future. Election turn-out increases when the issue at stake is clear. The complexity of the EU decision-making system is the reason for low participation in European elections. Although in the context of the current institutional balance it seems unrealistic it is of high importance that we give ourselves the long-term objective of politicising the EU political system.

Time has come to think about a radical change in the EU’s institutional balance. The Parliament should be the most powerful institution of the three. The Commission should be a product of the Parliament. This would imply that the Commission would no longer stay in its allegedly neutral position. It would become a European government. Some would say the EU citizens are not ready for that. It is probably true. It should however be our objective in the long term.

What can we do to foster a European political community in the short-term? We should think about how the European elections could become truly European. The principle of national lists is in itself in contradiction with the mandate of the European Parliament. Although only having transnational lists might seem challenging at this stage there should be at least an obligation to have a proportion of citizens of other nationalities in each country’s lists. It would already be a great step forward if the number two of each list was from a different nationality. The two heads of list would then campaign together, giving a true European touch to the European elections campaign.

We should also ensure future generations are more Europe-conscious than we are. Each pupil should have a course on Europe, its history, its political system and last but not least its peoples and cultures. There also needs to be a significant effort in language teaching so that the future European citizens are able to speak at least three languages. Short stays in foreign countries should also be if not compulsory at least strongly supported with the opportunity to get scholarships that are significant enough for the money not to be an obstacle to moving abroad for a while.

Tags: citoyens, démocratie, éducation, UE

Commentaires

1. Bane and boon of subsidiarity par mochinho Devenir militant(e) du PSE le mardi 22 janvier 2008 à 01h31

EUrope is a foreign country; they do things differently there. According to the principle of subsidiarity in the EC Treaty one can be of the opinion that a disconnection is not per se a bad aspect of European law and politics. There shall not be a European universal competence, and the European institutions are not to regulate everything. Furthermore the implementation of e.g. directives or the effect of European law on national law is in most cases received without the European background. Vice versa: not seldom are solutions on the European level desired, but "Europe" is not the right addressee because of subsidiarity. These aspects can of course create a gap between the EU and its citizens.

The main question is what one can do to close this gap. The Reform Treaty can reach a lot by taking the national and regional parliaments into account. European policy will be closer to the people, but the politicians have to translate such thrilling subjects as the Combined Nomenclature, Common Customs Tariff and Integrated Tariff of the European Communities (Taric) or the financial perspective into interesting and practical examples. There is nothing easier than that, is it not?

Circa 80 % of national legislation is influenced by European regulation, but in the national debates there is seldom a hint at this fact. Instead the debates focus mainly on the national level and are sometimes of a delusive kind. This has to be changed. The question should be how influential on the relevant European legislation a member state and its parliament as well as its government are, co-operation with the other member states expressively desired.

I agree with the author of this post that Europe has to play an important part in education. Changing schools into European Schools is an option and a chance. Learning within a European curriculum can make people more sensitive for the EU and is not expensive.

2. Reconnecting with citizens - on their terms par PensivePeter le dimanche 9 mars 2008 à 13h20

As I have said recently on my own blog, more and more people - particularly younger people but the elderly too - are getting involved in online communities and interest groups, and embracing technologies to overcome hurdles, disabilities, fears, absence from home or simply expressing a preference.

So why not let them use their communication channelof choice - the Internet - to express their vote in the elections next year? It should surely be one more channel, alongside the traditional polling station and (often unreliable) postal or proxy voting, that would show voters that we care about their choice in how they decide to vote. Many may not opt for it, but we should stand in the way of those who want to vote online: Many simply do not have the time or opportunity to vote at their local voting station, are away on polling day, or ill - whatever.

The Democratic Party in the US have shown the way, by enfranchising thousands of activists around the world, who were able to vote online, either fr the dedicated "Demcrats Abroad" delegates or voting remotely in their home State primaries.

Those who have raised objections and "FUD" (fear, uncertainty and doubt) about the security of online voting have usually their own agenda: fear that otherwise disenfranchised, poor, marginalised, rural, young, old, voters may start to get involved and have an impact on the elections. Exactly why we should support it.

Many member states have projects under way but are hesitatnt in front of media hostility (and what do the big media barons have to fear? Oh, yes); the European Commission is funding a pilot project but will only support Internet voting if there is political support for it by the Member States.

Surely a cross-EU project to try out and pilot Internet based voting for the 2009 European elections would be a wonderful opportunity to show some sense of community and response to a growing demand to harness the power of the Web!

Please support also the European Movement idea on this: http://speakup-europe.blogactiv.eu/2008/03/09/allow-citizens-the-choice-to-use-internet-to-vote

3. The web is not so democratic as it's praised to be! par Asynjen Devenir militant(e) du PSE le jeudi 13 mars 2008 à 22h20

Hi Peter - interesting to read you comment. I'm also pro exploration of new media for democratic purposes, but I think there is reason for concern, though. Users of online debate fora and political blogs are not always representative of the population as a whole: the majority are men and there is also an underrepresentation of ethnic minorities. New media are not always as democratic as they are said to be.

This doesn't mean that we should refrain from using new media for democratic purposes - but we should keep the issue of representation in mind when designing and promoting new online communication channels. Designers and moderators need to actively promote diverse participation.

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