Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-03-22-Speech-3-243"
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"en.20060322.17.3-243"2
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".
Mr President, this has very much been a debate about democracy: its strengths, its shortcomings and the challenges that come from a rapidly changing reality. Until now, the system we have for exercising and organising democracy goes through political parties. That is the way we do it in Europe, at national, local and regional level, and at European level. It is not perfect and it requires a constant effort to mobilise people, because we know that the biggest enemy is always ignorance and total apathy. That goes for the European level as well. We can state that it is no longer enough to leave the decision-making and the democracy to a small political elite; at least, that is my analysis of the situation. We also have to mobilise people at European level to allow for a democratic development also at European level. It is through political parties that we can make people accountable, that we can create openness and transparency, and that we can have effective decision-making.
It is still only embryonic: even if we have succeeded in creating ten European parties, we cannot say that we have succeeded totally. However, it has helped and it does not contradict that we also have to invest in making sure that the national parties integrate European affairs into their political agenda, discussions and decisions. We have to do both and we have to move on both fronts.
In addition it is necessary to make sure that there is European media that can cover what goes on. This also requires some efforts and promotion from our side, to make sure that the reporting is there as well – for citizens, for democracy, to be able to follow what goes on and to take a position on that. I would add that it is also necessary to create meeting places, citizen-to-citizen opportunities to discuss. Those three building blocks are necessary to develop democracy at European level. It can be virtual or geographical or real, but all three elements are necessary.
European political parties are a very important element. You can discuss the criteria; we have to discuss the things that have been mentioned here. I am very prudent in not promising what could come out of the review of the Financial Regulation now. I think it would be very unwise of me to promise that the Commission will come forward at such-and-such a time with a new proposal for this or that. It has to come in connection with and after the discussion we are having now on reviewing the Financial Regulation and the implementing rules. This can come as a result of that and after that. However, I think you have created and presented the elements and building blocks necessary to discuss what to do with European political parties.
As many have pointed out, however, there is a link to other organisations as well, and we have to take that into account so that it can be a balanced proposal one day. It is wise to also have a vision as to when this could be ready, but I cannot make a promise on that on behalf of the Commission today.
This is a very important debate. I welcome the amendments underlining the importance of promoting equality between men and women, and I would point out – as I see Mrs Gurmai there – I think this is absolutely evident. Had Mr Allister still been here I would have asked him who he would vote for. Would he vote for somebody and be willing to pay for somebody who says ‘I enter this room or this institution with ambitions and hopes and dreams and I promise to do my best and work for a future for the European Union’? Or would you vote for someone who says ‘I do not believe in this institution, I do not think it should exist, I think it deals with nonsense issues and I am not going to pay too much attention to what goes on here’? Who would you be willing to pay for as a normal taxpayer? I think it speaks for itself, but in the end this is really also a matter of the choice that you have to give to people, as Mr Corbett and others have pointed out. It is a choice to give to the European citizens and that is, in the end a matter of democracy."@en1
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