Improve European Democracy!
Thu, 22/01/2009 - 13:07
Improve European Democracy!
The Citizens’ Initiative - first set out in the Constitutional Treaty - should be enacted immediatley to open a new channel for democratic participation in Europe and help to create the public realm the EU badly needs.
The Citizens' Initiative stipulates that a petition with at least one million signatures obtained from a number of Member States may be sent to the Commission inviting it to take a legislative initiative, provided the latter is compatible with the EU's rules and principles.
In order to make such a new democratic channel practical, the EU should create a petition website similar to the one 10 Downing Street already runs (http://petitions.number10.gov.uk).
If there was such a direct channel between citizens and the EU, Europe-wide campaigning and organising around political issues could take place more easily. This would generally raise awareness of EU affairs in the Member States, tackle the "democratic deficit" and help to create a pan-European political realm for debate.
So, what are we waiting for?
I agree.
However there are still huge difficulties to overcome.
1) Participation in these forums is still very limited. Only a tiny handful of people participate and they usually have a limited agenda or have a particular obsession to disract normal discourse. I even have to include myself in this.
2) A large number of internet pressure groups would springup all wanting to prohibit something or freedom the rest of us take for granted or make everybody do something they just don't want.
Failing to solve these problems would bring electric democracy into disrepute.
I strongly believe that this website could be the beginning of something wonderful in politics and make the EU the envy of the world. That is why I have joined.
Europe will never be democratic - we are bossed abotu by a bunch of unelected second-rate politicians and an ******** of a president of the commission who never responds to letters. Hitler was elected - how did Barroso get his job?
"may be sent to the Commission inviting it to take a legislative initiative"
That is exactly the pronblem that was in the Lisbon Treaty and the Constitution treaty.
Good luck inviting a politician to do something useful. "Inviting" them to do something will not work - if they don't like it, they will just ignore this invitation.
I'd prefer a wording like: "may be sent to the Commission requiring it to take a legislative initiative" or, even better "may be sent to the European Parliament as a legislative initiative", thus denying the Commission the chance to manipulate the wording against the idea behind the petiion.
Trusting a politician to do the right thing is like trusting a hungry mouse in a cheese shop not to touch anything...
New TV program on "Euro News" just NOW!
For the very beginning it is necessary immediately to start a daily program on “Euro News” Channel about most interesting initiatives on this site! Nothing difficult, very simple!
www.profso.ru
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