The European Federalist Party’s propositions.
The European Union has recently showed its ineffectiveness, unable to deal with the current crisis, Europe has proved itself unable to react and to weigh on world organizations for the good of its citizens. In reaction, the Member States have come back to selfish policies which are quickly showing their limits.
Why a federal government for Europe?
We must face the truth, most European States are no longer the large empires they used to be.
As a consequence they do not have the resources nor the populations to be able to have their own rules anymore. Their sole policies are largely dependent on other world organizations and remain limited. In a globalised world it has become even harder to solve problems on their own.
The current European Union was a beginning, but it has quickly showed its limits and has remained too much under the control of the Governments – whose first interest is to keep power by flattering their electors rather than acting for their good – instead of the citizens’. In addition, the biggest States that are France, Germany and the U.K have tried to impose their views for their own selfish interests rather than for the Main Interest of the Union.
In a world where giants rule such as the China, the USA, India, Brazil or Russia, the European citizens have to get united to be able to have their say.
Our project:
We are in favour of a strong Union, based on a federal organization enabling both to sway on international negotiations as well as to maintain local particularities. The “United States of Europe” need to become a political reality to get free from the dominations of other world powers.
In the current European Union, several things are to denounce:
- Its organization is far too complex and unclear. Decisions are made after long negotiations between Governments, administrations, think-tanks and institutions. One does not distinguish who makes decisions and how…
- The European Union is not democratical enough. Decisions result from a complex process of negotiations between administrations, Governments, institutions and think-tanks rather than by a democratical and see-through process… the citizens are kept away from the debates.
- Europe has got a currency and a central bank, but no economical government. Each Member State can do whatever it wants even if it is in contradiction with the others’ policies. (We see what is currently happening)
- Despite the European States are less and less heard and recognised abroad, no proper diplomatic authority exists. The High Secretary for Foreign Affairs established by the Treaty of Lisbon is being discussed but big States such as France want to keep it under the control of the States
- Weakness of european justice
- Lack of real control authority in ticklish field (environment, health security).
- The enlargements of the European Union as they are currently performed endanger the Union and risks to make us derive from the vision of the “Founding Fathers”. (Economical and democratical conditions, but nothing about the wish to take part into the “European Fate”).
The European Federalist Party proposes for the European Union:
- To replace the Council of Ministers by a European Senate.
- To replace the European Commission by a federal government with a clearly defined role (currency, defense and foreign affairs, environment, social policy, education…
- To elect the President of the European Union whose duties would be to keep the Constitution and to represent the Union abroad.
- To make the current European Court of Justice the Federal Court of Justice in charge of issues of disagreements between the States and the Federation. It would also have a clear role of Supreme Court as the Court of Last Resort for citizens.
- Found an European control authority, independent of states, for environment, health security and bioethics.
- More security. Organizations of drug, terrorism, banditism and illicit immigration will not be able to take advantage anymore of the very different national laws.
- To make depend the joining of new countries on the desire to take part into the European Fate and on the adoption of the European Constitution. An organisation of close cooperation should be created for countries wanting to keep close relationships with the Federation but not wishing to become a member.
We are in favour of a federal organization both at a European and State levels. For centralised States such as France, we propose a devolution enabling the regions to have enough resources and powers to lead efficient policies close to their inhabitants.
The European Federalist Party propose for the regions:
- To put up Regional Parliaments together with Regional Governments.
- To intrust real powers to the Regions to manage their policies, in respect with the National and Federal frameworks.
- To enable the Regions to get all the direct taxations, necessary resources to implement policies.
- To implement an “Inter-Regional Fund” to gather money and fill the gap between richer and poorer Regions.
- Less unemployment. Local forces actually paralysed by central bureaucracy will be finally released.
- A federal educative pattern. It will be directed by local realities and integrated within a national and European educative framework.
- A better standard of life. Ecological problems will be handled outside of lobbies that act on State.
- Recognition of the regional identities, languages and cultures.
- More money for regions. Regions could negociate directly with Europe.
Europe will not be but federal!
