Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2002-06-11-Speech-2-153"
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"en.20020611.8.2-153"2
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"Madam President, the Recommendation for which President Gil-Robles is rapporteur is particularly timely given that the European Convention is meeting. Why? For a politically very important reason, I believe: if we want to launch any initiative or send any message to strengthen the democratic legitimacy of the European Parliament, we must do so now.
Every day and every week we are hearing all types of messages which argue that the composition of this House leads to democratic deficit. It is said for example that the democratic deficit must be overcome by strengthening the national parliaments’ capacity to act within the processes of European construction. It is even said openly that the citizens believe that the national Members of Parliament truly represent them rather than European ones, forgetting that they both derive their legitimacy from the same source: universal suffrage and the political will of the citizens as expressed through the ballot box.
I therefore believe it very positive that there should be an improved uniform electoral procedure for the election of Members of the European Parliament. I would also stress issues which I believe to be essential, such as, for example, the proportional system which directly represents the opinion of the citizens and guarantees plurality; the fact also that parity is asked for – at the moment there are as many female voters as male ones, more even – and the political parties formed on the basis of the will of the citizens, and not only this Parliament, must also show that parity.
Finally – and why not? – we should insist that the person who is elected, when the time comes, by the European Parliament as President of the Commission, should also be put to the people as a candidate to the European Parliament. So congratulations. You have my full support."@en1
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