Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-12-12-Speech-3-272"
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"en.20071212.28.3-272"2
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"Mr President, we are seeing in Europe a constant increase in extremist, nationalist and populist movements that endanger our democratic system.
In an ideal world, democracy is government of the people by the people and for the people. In fact, democracy is still the ‘least bad’ political system if it has proper checks and balances. However, the paradox of democracy is that it contains the possibility of its own death, in allowing the expression of populist and extremist opinions which erode the democratic system itself.
In many European countries, there are parties that have succeeded in positioning themselves at the heart of political life with populist and demagogic discourses. European history has shown how extremist parties, dressed in democratic clothes and using populist and nationalist propaganda, have often led democracy to dictatorships.
The best way to fight intolerance is to stand firm, to defend our democratic values and institutions, to defend individual rights, justice, equal opportunity and diversity, but also to sanction any discourse instigating hatred, segregation or discrimination.
As Robert Kennedy said, ‘what is dangerous about extremists is not that they are extreme, but that they are intolerant. The evil is not what they say about their cause, but what they say about their opponents.’
Healthy democracies need active citizens. Democracy can only function if citizens are conscious and exert their civic rights and duties. We need to reinvent citizenship. We need new ways to learn democracy. We need to ensure that our education systems promote the development of an active, critical and engaged citizenship. In a global world, we imperatively need a citizenship that celebrates diversity and promotes understanding and tolerance."@en1
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"Vălean, Adina-Ioana (ALDE ). –"1
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