A democratic foundation

Europe's transformation and success in the postwar period must not make us naive, we aren't safe and secure from internal threats to our democracy and stability.
There are still obvious weaknesses and cracks in the foundation of the European construction, which allows negative forces to cause fundamental problems and democratic obstacle in Europe.

Some recent examples are Victor Orban's weakening of press freedom and the rule of law in Hungary. Another example is David Cameron's attack on freedom of movement and on civil equality in the Union.

So how can Europe strengthen the democratic foundations and ensure stability over the long haul?

The best way would be a common European constitution that clearly establishes the framework for democracy, rule of law and civil rights.
There are several non-governmental organisation's in Europe that actively promotes the debate on a European constitution and which has led to several proposals and drafts on a constitution.

It is clear that the fundamental democratic principles must be ensured for all Europeans and that foundation must be built together. This is the biggest and most important issue to debate before upcoming elections. Who is afraid of more and better democracy?

Pictures with words can say alot more then ...

Cameron and Europe

British Prime Minister drives a European policy and a campaign that means that a number of common rules would be scrapped. Cameron have repeatedly turned against Europe's environmental rules governing the minimum standards in environmental protection. Cameron also criticized Europe's labor rights and freedom of movement.

The conclusion is that the conservative Cameron does not believe that European environmental policy is too lame and that the big losers of Cameron's European policy is without a doubt, the environment, labor laws and the free movement of citizens .

Cameron also wants to renegotiate the British membership. It's primarily about the membership fee and the British rebate. It's not about saving necessary pounds to the British exchequer but in practice what Cameron believes that Britons should contribute with to the smaller economies in the Union. In other words, solidarity and one of the Union pillars are under attack.
This is what Cameron calls British leadership in Europe.

At home, Cameron plays on nationalist winds by criticizing the EU and especially the forces that want to reform by democratizing and federalazing Europe.

Power to the voters

This May it is time for Europeans to go to the polls in an election that in many respects is highly significant and perhaps even critical to Europe's democratic future.
For the first time, voters have the opportunity to directly influence who will become the European Commission's next president. This is done by the major party groups in the EP nominating their candidate for the presidency in advance, which roughly means that the candidate from the largest post-election party group becomes the next Commission president.
This is a commendable initiative by the EU party groups to strengthen European level democracy and to give the Commission greater legitimacy among the European citizens without any major reforms that would require new treaties between the national governments.

There is alot more to be desired when it comes to democratic reform of the EU but much of what is needed is above or "below" the powers of the Parliament. It is in the hands of our national governments and parliaments. Unfortunately, there is significant resistance at national level against giving more power over European politics to the voters.
Parliamentary elections in May, however, have a great potential to bring democracy much needed focus and put it on the agenda for future national elections in Europe.

A letter to Martin Schultz

Dear President Schultz!
No one with their eyes open can deny that Europe stand at a crossroad.
May 2014 the citizens of Europe will vote for a new parliament. This will be a election with importance far beyond the framework of the European parliament. This election will set the direction for the Union in times when we are forced to reform ourselves out of the economic, social and political crisis.
What the European voters need in times like this is a dream, faith and a vision for a bright and peaceful future.
Europe need a leader who can present that dream, that vision and bring back faith and hope to those who lost it during the crisis.
Also, that leader must be able to transform that dream and vision in to action.
Mr President, what are your dreams and visions for Europe?
How would you like to restore faith in EU democracy?
What reforms are needed to secure growth and create jobs?
What role shall the union have in the defense of Europe?
Are you the leader that the people and the future of our union needs?
Sincerely
Mathias Darmell

The EU wants nothing by itself and does nothing by itself

For those of you who don`t know, the EU does not have its own will! The European union that we all are citizens in consists of several institutions that our national politicians fill with content and of various intergovernmental agreements between Member States. To one of these institutions the citizens directly elect the members, in the other institutions the members are indirectly elected by our national governments.

The conclusion of this is that the EU wants nothing for itself and does nothing by itself and can`t therefore be the object of criticism when it comes to the policy implemented within the union.
The fact that EU is the scapegoat for national politicians and their failed politics is a threat to democracy itself and not only to the union. It keeps voters from debating the real issues that we desperately need to debate and keeps voters focused on the institutions instead of the politics.

10 reasons not to vote in European elections.

 

This picture says why i can not come up with one single reason not to vote

Fort Europa

Fort Europa is the biggest shame of modern Europe and of our civilized union. Fort Europa is there to keep the desperate and needy out and it works, but with a great cost of human lives and european values.
I suggest that we reinvent Fort Europa in to something that will benefit us all, both EU citizens and those looking for a safe harbour. Fort Europa should be and must be the safe haven for democracy, human rights and solidarity protected by a European constitution.

Euro skeptics and nationalists have air under the their wings

Euro skeptics and nationalists have gotten plenty of air under the their wings during the current global economic crisis. Criticism against the euro and the political battering on how to handle the crisis has rightly been very strong. Unfortunately, skeptics and nationalists failed to produce any concrete solutions to the proven weaknesses of Europe, but rather demanded that Europe once again be isolated behind nationalist walls. Unfortunately, the media have often uncritically blown air under the wings of nationalism during this crisis which in itself deepened the crisis and hampered the recovery. Above all, the political crisis in Europe has been affected.

What should be of interest in the media are the forces that did present and campaigned for various economic , but above all political solutions to the crisis.
Organised federalists and engaged citizens presented, through various initiatives proposals for reform and dared to debate them in various forums. Their work has had a major impact on social media and on the streets around Europe while traditional media focused almost exclusively on reactionary and doomsday prophecies, giving nationalists and sceptics a much bigger media coverage then their popular mandate.
A consequence of this is that the established politicians and parties did not and do not dare to lead the public debate, which in itself strengthens the democratic deficit in our current Union.
There is an urgent need to critically study the structure and policies of the EU if we are to emerge from the crisis and build a Europe that we want to leave to coming generations.

Our strength lies in our goals and our arguments

You can not measure what the European union has meant for Europe's democratic and economic development in the postwar period. 
From the historic turmoil in Europe, no one can imagine a Europe without the ambition to unify the European pot of historic good and evil and create a stable Europe for its people.. 

The Union has built a foundation which rests on its citizens. It is now up to us to build on this foundation and create a democratic and stable Europe, that not only Europe needs but the globalised world 
needs. We don't have a easy journey ahead of us, the resistance is established and sometimes economically strong, but our strength lies in our goals and our arguments. 
European Parliament is sadly not the institution that determines our future, it is up to EUCO and our national governments, but the elections in 2014 to the European Parliament is without a doubt the best tool in the near future to set the agenda for our struggle for a better and a more democratic Europe. We must therefore gather all our strength and courage to take the debate whenever the opportunity is given.

With democracy we shall win more democracy!  

I call for a PAN-European referendum

Europe needs to move forward! but it wont happen if we continue with the national battering we have in the council.

I call for a PAN-European referendum on a democratic federal European constitution. Let the people decide about their future. This referendum should be followed by national, on or off referendums in every member state.
This is the federal way, more democracy and in some cases more Europe and in others less Europe.

This would put an end to the unions within the union, it would mean no more first and second class citizens and it would mean that we could see the creation of a European federation of citizens. 

A internal borderless Europe is far from a reality in 2014

Schengen is in reality nothing more than a loose agreement between some European "states" which means increased freedoms for their citizens to move freely and without passport checks still exist. During the last few years we have many examples on how arbitrary this agreement is. 

The excuses could be and has been many for the states to break or improvise with Schengen, but no excuse has been particularly reasonable. Too often, it has been an expression of a power struggle at the expense of the citizens.

Truthfully, Schengen is a half hearted attempt from the beginning to bring the people of europe closer and to create a sense of citizenship, atleast it would appear so on paper. 

Here is why:

• Schengen don't include all EU states and therefore not all citizens.
• The Schengen area don't have a common border authority.
• Some EU states want to limit the freedom of movement all together for all or some citizens. 

A internal borderless Europe is far from a reality in 2014 and the freedoms of the citizens are more or less constantly being attacked by national leaders. 

Federalism is about securing democracy and diversity in Europe.

"Federalism means sharing of sovereignty and dividing power and competences. Federalism means no monopoly of power, no unique power center, but a number of power centers. Hence, federalism means democracy." - Herbert Tombeur

Most Europeans needs to be informed and educated on the essence of federalism before they can fully take part in the debate about European future, because the debate is largely about federalizing the union or dismantling the union. Sadly, sceptics still compere a federal Europe to a imperialistic super state. Nothing could be further from the truth but it works well for them and will do so until federalist manege to reach out to the masses and educate. 

Thanks to internet and social media the possibilities are greater then ever. Federalists have a unique opportunity to get the message out all over Europe and this in times when the future of Europe more then ever is open for the people to build there own future. 

Federalism is about securing democracy and diversity in Europe. 

Democracy can give confidence back to the people.

The European Union is not a western project, the eastern states have just as a big role in the building of the European house. All the people of Europe share the same struggle for democracy, safety and economic development, then and now!

The freedom that was won by the people in the eastern states during the late eighties and early nineties gave the union a much needed injection of development and enlargement.

The current economic, social, political and democratic crisis could do the same for the union.
The European Union needs a new injection of democracy in all "levels" of government from the north to the south to the heart of Brussels.

Democracy is the way forward for Europe and only more democracy can give confidence back to the people.      

Euromaidan

EuroMaidan is a great and a very needed inspiration to all Europeans and to our everlasting struggle for unity and democracy in Europe. We stand together in our struggle to always better Europe and against all attempts to weaken the people, our unity and our democracy. Thank you!

European identity

European identity is just as real and authentic as any local or regional identity in Europe.

" United in Diversity" sums it up pretty well, but I'll try to describe, according to me what is our European identity.

It's hard to find a place on earth where all or even a majority's of the people share a general identity. I think you must search in isolated tribes of indigenous people to even come close.

In most democratic parts of the world, just like in Europe, countless identities coexist with each other, locally, nationally and in larger unity's. They are cultural, political, religious and even academic identity's. Its not always without conflict but still in coexistence and with different levels of integration among themselves.

The European identity is found in and around us. Not least culturally where local and regional identity's are clear and strong on there own but just as clearly intertwined with other local and regional identities. It is equally evident in the political struggles that's been played out in Europe, where we currently, without taking something for granted can say that democracy and freedom have taken the longest straw across the continent. I don't stick my neck out by saying that no fight, no struggle and no victory for democracy has happened separately from others in Europe.

Europe has been the centre of two world wars, the Cold War and that's only in the last 100 years. Europe is also the place where the industrial revolution took off and changed conditions drastically. Religion had its borderless fights for century's. In all this, Europeans has for more than 1000 years intertwined in social, cultural and economic enterprises that shaped and developed Europe.

Many women and men from all over Europe have fought and sacrificed there life and limb for liberty and peace so that Europe would achieve what Europe is today.

It is not possible to hide from our European heritage and identity, just as we cant forget the traditions of the community that we where born in. If we do, we do nothing but lie to ourself and our children.

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet. (Swedish translation)

Öppet brev till ordförande för Europeiska kommissionen, ordföranden för Europeiska rådet och ordföranden för Europaparlamentet 

José Manuel Barroso, Herman van Rompuy, Martin Schulz

Vi är djupt oroade över Europas framtid.

Den pågående politiska, sociala och ekonomiska krisen hotar att återigen dela upp kontinenten. Misslyckandet med att effektivt hantera krisen har skapat en stor misstro mot unionens institutioner bland sina egna medborgare. Populism och nationalism är på uppgång i alla medlemmsstater och i kölvattnet av krisen finns starka politiska krafter som öppet förespråkar en upplösning av vår union. Detta är en mycket farlig utveckling! Krisen har också lett till skapandet av ett antal organisationer bestående av engagerade medborgare som förespråkar ett mer demokratiskt, starkare och solidariskt Europa. Dessa organisationer och individer tar olika initiativ och skapar forum för debatt, information och kampanjer för att öka medborgarnas deltagande i uppbyggnaden av det framtida Europa.

Vi är alla mycket stolta över vad EU har åstadkommit under de senaste 60 åren men vi ser också att det mellanstatliga systemet inte längre kan möta utmaningarna i det moderna Europa. Detta system har också en top down-strategi som skapar en stor klyfta mellan ledare och medborgare. Vi söker efter alternativ till detta system. Vi söker delaktighet, demokrati och ansvarsutkrävande. Det demokratiska underskottet kan inte längre tolereras.

Krisen har gjort det mycket klart att om vi ska rädda Europa måste vi bygga om och reformera EU, inte bara ekonomiskt utan även socialt och politiskt. Vi står vid ett vägskäl där vägen vi väljer kommer att påverka många generationer framöver. Detta är utan tvekan den största utmaningen som det enade Europa har mött.

Europa går mot en federation eller en upplösning. Ett uppbrott skulle sannolikt flytta Europa mot en ny era av divisioner och kriser som ingen av oss vill uppleva eller lämna som ett arv till våra barn och barnbarn. Allt fler medborgare ser ett federalt Europa som den mest pragmatiska och långsiktiga lösningen för Europa. Frågan är, skall denna federation baseras på ett fundament av medborgare eller på nationalstaterna?

Detta brev speglar den starka övertygelsen som en grupp av EU-medborgare från många medlemsstater har och vi inbjuder, ordförande José Manuel Barroso, ordförande Herman Van Rompuy och ordförande Martin Schulz till att främja en ny fas i reformen av Europeiska unionen, mot en demokratisk federation av medborgare.

För ett Europa vi alla vill leva i!

Brevet i orginal hittar du här.

Made in EU

The main consequence of the crisis in Europe is unquestionably unemployment and especially youth unemployment. The consequences of this are not only economic and social but also political.

Although the crisis and the unemployment has very little to do with the Union the Unions economic and political future depends on solving the youth unemployment. It requires both political and private action. Unfortunately, the crisis has so far been fought ineffectively with national interests at heart on the expense of ordinary people.

If Europe should be able to compete in the new world, we the citizens must review our consumption patterns, not only for economic reasons but also for environmental, social and democratic reasons. We must recognize and take responsibility for the fact that cheap Asian goods can have a very high price.

"Made in EU" can be a recipe for combating youth unemployment and something we all can contribute to.

Nelson Mandela

The greatest of all inspirations have left us. 

Cameron calls for limit on European freedom of movement

Eurosceptics, with Cameron at the frontline are attacking the foundation of the European Union, the Citizen’s, as a strategi to slowly dismantel the union.' Freedom of movement is the perfect exempel of this and if Cameron succeeds with his attempt to discriminate against certain European citizen’s, we won’t have a true European citizenship to fight for anymore.

Who could of thought that European leaders in 2013 seriously want to take back freedoms claimed by the people. If we let this happen, it will be the beginning of the fall, not only for the Union but also for many other of our citicens rights.
I say we have taken to much crap from Cameron and it is time that we stand up for each other against this kind of compromising with our rights.