Get the message out

How do we get the message of federalism, democracy and diversity out to the people of Europe? 

My answer to that question is to go where we haven't gone before. 

Let's meet the sceptics and the nationalists on their grounds. Talk to them, write articles and stand up for the ideas of a better EUrope.  

The UK election and Nigel Farage

The Britts goes to the polls on May 7. This is a election that may drastically affect Britain's future. The biggest question is whether the election will lead to a referendum regarding Britain's exit from the EU. A exit that most likely would mean a breakup of the UK.

But I'm going to focus on. probably the best known and most exposed politician in the UK, Nigel Farage. The founder and leader of UKIP, United Kingdom independens party.

UKIP is a party that was built around the requirement for Britain to leave the EU. With a populisic rhetoric and buffoon-like approach in debates by party leader Farage, the party has, as so many other European sister parties succeeded in the art to be seen and heard in the media, to a much greater extent than the party's electoral support claims. This applies throughout Europe. 

Few EU parliamentarians can historically be compared with how Farage has managed to captivate the media and use the media to get his policies and his person exposed to the voters. 

Before and during the 2014 election campaign to the European Parliament the party developed into a clear xenophobic party and the so-called EU migrants tops the list of the party's rhetorical vulnerable groups.

UKIP has a libertarian view on economic policy, which distinguishes them from many other nationalist parties in Europe. But that's where the party's libertarianism ends. UKIP is an ultra-nationalist party with dreams of the old empire. The party's Nationalism overshadows all sense of reality and pragmatism in their policy's. 

In an attempt to counter the UKIP, the conservative Tories, like so many other established parties in Europe embraced parts of the UKIP's populism and rhetoric. The result seems to be the same in Britain as it was in Denmark, UKIP becomes strengthened, just like the Danish People's Party was strengthened in Denmark.

The outcome of the 2015 election is more uncertain than it has ever been in the UK. Unholy coalitions can be enforced and the future of the kingdom and its place in Europe and in the world is highly uncertain.

Human Rights

If you believe in human rights, you must stand up for human rights for everyone, everywhere.

Human rights, just as democracy can't be partial or conditional. Because if it is there is no human rights and no democracy. 

EU reforms

We can't start working on true EU reforms until we get past the pro-anti EU bullshit. 

Let's face the fact that we all are Europeans and that our future depends on each other. 

The world is changing and Europe must stand strong and united in this process. The values of democracy and human rights can't be taken for granted especially if we don't take united measures at the European level. 

If we don't act now it won't be long until we regret our lack of action.   

United Europe

I'm convinced that only a united and a federal EUrope can be a souverign Europe in the globalised world. 

I'm convinced that only a united and a federal Europe with a constitutional foundation can guarantee democracy and human rights for all Europeans. 

I'm convinced that Europe must continue on its path towards democratic unification that started after world war 2.

Is this a compliment

Europe has come to far to let the ship go under

Europe has come to far in its democratic, social and economic development for us to let national interests steer the handling of the current crisis and Europe's future development. 

The Council has in recent years demonstrated its intolerable slowness and inability to handle, for Europe crucial issues. This includes everything from the financial crisis to foreign policy.  

It's time that the Council hand over their power to the elected parliament.

The Council should be replaced by directly elected national representatives and thus become a second chamber to Parliament. 

Europe belongs to all Europeans and we can't let Europe be a playground for national politicians. 

Government by the people

Europe don't need British, German or Greek leadership, EU needs a government by the people for the people. 

Blogging is not a crime

"Blogging is not a crime, it's a expression of human rights" 

Islamophobia play's a big part in the radicalisation and recruitment of young Muslims in Europe.

Islamophobia play's a big part in the radicalisation and recruitment of young Muslims in Europe.

Nothing feeds extremism and fundamentalism more then other extremists and fundamentalists. This applies both in politics and in religion. Without one the other one choaks. Simple logic!

The open, welcoming and democratic society is the best weapon against all forms of fundamentalism and against terror and threats in its name. Everything else is giving the victory away to fundamentalist and extremist.

Europe must show courage and stand by its democratic and inclusive values ​​and refuse to yield to the threat these groups and individuals represent.

European history gives us a roadmap to our future

Europeans must know its history if they want to shape their future. 

Interview with Leo Klinkers

I strongly recommend this interview with my friend Leo Klinkers, the co-author of the European federalist papers. 

http://www.withthevoices.com/2013/02/12/inteview-with-leo-klinkers-author-of-the-european-federalist-papers/ 

Intolerance

The strangest phenomenon of intolerance is that the intolerant require that their intolerance should be tolerated.

London, Madrid, Oslo, Copenhagen, Stockholm

Jihadists and the European far right are allies in terror and they are declaring war against free speech and European democracy. 

My vision for a federal Europe

Here is a brief presentation of my vision for a federal Europe, which is rooted in a democratic European Constitution.

Europe's democratic, social and economic development in the postwar period is unprecedented in the world. A divided and war-torn Europe has turned into a united, peaceful and democratic Europe with a social model that don't exist anywhere else in the world.

This has been done without the expense of Europe's diversity.

Despite Europe's success, Europeans can't relax and believe that the positive development continues by itself. The financial crisis is an example on how fragile the union is when there's a crack in one of its corners.

The Europe of today plays a too important and significant role in citizens daily lives for us to be able to defend the intergovernmental structure that the Union have today. First, the EU revealed its inefficiency when it came to dealing with the financial crisis. Secondly, the interstate system also creates very little opportunity for civic transparency and participation and makes it difficult to hold leaders accountable.The EU have grown out of its intergovernmental suit.

Europe is also facing new democratic, social and economical challenges and threats, both domestically and in the globalized world. If we are to create the best conditions for a continued, positive development and at the same time secure democracy and peace for all EU citizens it requires a substantial democratic and structural reform of the EU. Below I list the most necessary reforms.

1st

a) citizens participation must be central at all levels of government in Europe. Both the legislature and the executive power must be directly elected by the people.

b) The national representation should be distinguished from national governments and elected in separate national elections

2nd

Fundamental rights of citizens and the Union scheme and structure must be entrenched in the Constitution.

a) The Constitution shall consolidate the Union's and the Member States competencies and thus the distribution of powers between the Union and the Member States. The power must lay as close as possible to those it becomes so it that it strengthens the influence of the people, national sovereignty and to protects the Union's diversity.

Below I list some of the skills that should be on the federal level. Legislative, executive and management.

Foreign policy 

diplomacy, defense, internal security, customs, coast guard, migration. UN and other international cooperation bodies.

Environment   

climate, natural disasters, international agreements, research.

Europe's supreme court.

The internal market.

The internal market requires common rules in several areas. The four freedoms.

ECB

Independent European Central Bank responsible for a single monetary policy.

How realistic is this vision?

My conclusion is that it is not only realistic but also that it is necessary.

In the aftermath of the financial crisis, many leaders in Europe advocated and stressed the need for the EU to be reformed towards a federal Europe. It has also emerged a countless number of European grassroots organizations, NGO's and think tanks with the stated goal to pursue and advocate for a democratic and federal Europe.

Today's and tomorrow's challenges are clear and we must debate how European citizens should be able to stand strong in the face of these trials.

The freedom of speech debate

There is a big difference between being hurt and being vilified. Why don't we talk about that in the debate about freedom of speech?

Secure security

Security = democracy, tolerance, rule of law, humanism, solidarity and education. 

Modernisation and true reform of Islam

Modernisation and true reform of Islam can only become a reality if the States that is dominated by Islam are democratised and opened up to the outside world. The medieval view of Islam and the Quran is strongly related to policy and it dominate governance in many of these countries. Mainly because of political interests. The Islamic countries that have pursued a more moderate view of Islam and of religion as a hole have been characterised by other internal and external conflicts for a long time and its been a fertile ground for Islamists to spread their message and to recruit misguided youths on.

Christianity was modernised and liberalised when the policy of Christian country's did. Not on its own.

In Christianity we see that there is a return to a more conservative and literal view of the Bible. Even of the Old Testament that is once again being politicalised. This is linked to the political unrest and partly to instability in the West and in many other parts of the world.

If we are to combat religious and political fundamentalism we must build from below and from an international perspective. It's impossible to hide from the world today.

Islamism don't deserve special treatment

Islamism must be treated and fought in the same way as any other extremism and fundamentalism.

It would be directly harmful and counterproductive to single out certain groups as inferior or superior extremists.

As soon as "more democracy" and "greater transparency" are empty words, the fight is lost. We must therefore stand strong alongside the values of democracy.

Left wing populism VS progressive social liberalism

The alternative to the conservative, right wing politics that forced Europe in to austerity, isn't left wing populism. The answer for Europe is a progressive social liberalism with the values of democracy, solidarity and unity at heart.