To put citizens' interests first, the EU must be transformed
We need to strengthen the EU's capacity for collective action.
As citizens of Europe, we face massive challenges including climate change, migration, global competition and disrespect for the international order. Small players like most European countries, cannot solve these alone. We require united action with our European neighbours and partners. But current structures allow any single European Union Member State to block key legislation, sanctions packages or trade agreements that could be of vital importance to millions of European citizens.
To better serve its citizens, it is time to transform the EU.
"The 'ever closer Union among the peoples of Europe', which Robert Schuman envisioned in his famous speech of 9 May 1950, cannot be achieved unless we take ambitious steps towards a federal EU.
The constitution of a democratic state is characterised by the separation of powers: with links of political accountability leading all the way to individual citizens, and without excessive concentration of power in any branch – legislative, executive or judicial. The current EU does not embody such a model, which makes it incapable of democractically and effectively addressing the big challenges of the climate crisis, migration, securing common European defence, and respecting democratic values and human rights in the Member States.
We need to strengthen the EU's capacity for collective action. This means individual states would not act in isolation, but work together within the EU context to achieve a better outcome than they could achieve individually. Central to this is strengthening the EU's democratic legitimacy. The current institutional framework prioritises the interests of Member States over those of citizens. It creates decision-making processes that are inefficient and heavily influenced by national interests. This limits the EU's ability to act quickly in the interests of the people.
Bridging the gap between citizens and institutions will strengthen trust in the Union, create a European representative democracy, avoid damaging disillusionment with the political system, and give the EU the capacity to respond effectively to challenges at home and abroad.
For the above reasons, Volt proposes:
1. Reform the European Commission into a European government
We should enable the Members of the European Parliament – who themselves are already directly elected by citizens – to elect a Prime Minister from among themselves. This position would replace the current role of President of the European Commission. With their democratic mandate, the Prime Minister should then nominate ministers to be confirmed by the European Parliament. These ministers – each heading a ministry instead of the current Directorates-General in the European Commission – would constitute the government of Europe, directly accountable to more than 400 million European citizens.
The number of Cabinet of Ministers should be determined not by the number of Member States but by the needs of the EU and its citizens. And to avoid concentration of power, no Member State should be represented by more than one minister. When necessary, it should be possible for any minister – or the entire European government – to be removed from office via a vote of no confidence by the European Parliament, further strengthening democratic accountability.
These steps would begin to ensure that this executive branch is accountable to the electorate, subject to the confidence of the European Parliament and a newly-created European Senate.
2. Establish a European Senate
We know that under the pressure of (geo)political crises, the EU is often forced to resort to insufficiently transparent decisions. The current system of meetings of the heads of government of the 27 EU states, known as the European Council, must be abolished. At the same time, the Council of Ministers of the EU must be transformed into the European Senate, which will serve as the second chamber of the EU.
It would have an equal number of senators for each state, ensuring that all states have an equal say in the legislative process. They will be appointed by national parliaments. Decisions will be made by qualified majority instead of unanimity. This would particularly apply to topics that fall under the common foreign and security policy, such as sanctions or taxation. For decisions such as amending the founding treaties, deploying military forces or expanding the EU, the enhanced qualified majority voting format would apply.
3. Give the European Parliament the legislative initiative
The role of the European Parliament must change from its current co-decision role to initiating new legislation – a power to be shared with the Senate, EU citizens through the European Citizens' Initiative (ECI), and with the European government. New laws would be proposed by a political group or the equivalent minimum number of individual MEPs. Proposals would be consulted with the EU government, which could propose changes, although only the co-legislators – the European Parliament and the European Senate – would have the right to vote.
4. Turn the Court of Justice into a Constitutional Court
To facilitate a uniform interpretation of EU law and confirm the primacy of EU legislation, a Constitutional Court would consolidate the legal and democratic foundations of the European Union. This would deepen democratic engagement by providing a structured platform for citizens and Member States to scrutinise and challenge EU decisions on constitutional and fundamental rights grounds. Let’s ensure the universality of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights, thereby achieving uniformity of human rights standards across the bloc, incentivising proactive compliance, and streamlining enforcement procedures.
5. Initiate a European Convention on reform of the European Treaties
Already in the new legislative period, a convention of citizens' debates would engage in defining and shaping the values, competences, finances and institutional set-up of a federal Europe based on the European Parliament's proposal for EU reform. This will, in turn, build a legitimate basis for the declaration of a European federation and drafting a European Constitution that will create a federal Europe based on democratic accountability.
The European Union faces the important task of completing its journey towards unity among the peoples of Europe. The problems we face today require coordinated and effective solutions that are not possible only at the level of individual states. The aim of these proposals is to create a federal Europe based on democratic principles and capable of responding effectively to today's challenges. In this way, it can continue to deliver tangible benefits to its citizens and strengthen its position on the international stage in the light of current challenges.
Lucia Kleštincová is Volt Slovakia’s Co-President and Lead Candidate for election to the European Parliament.
Related
Share this page
Guest Posts by Easy Branches
