Reply To: Dynamic sizing of the House of Citizens

[Manuel Galinanes]

In response to my suggestion on the creation of population constituencies and the comments made by Leo Klinkers, I would like to make the following points for the consideration of the 55+:
(i) I strongly believe that the population constituencies is a better model for direct democracy (citizens will elect their own candidate to be represented at the European Federal Government) than adopting the dynamic of the parties, even if they do work transnationally, which own interest usually are above the citizens interest. In a population constituency model, the parties still will be able to present their candidates, but these will respond directly to the people that elected them. This system is working very well in countries like the UK where the elected members to the Parliament maintain direct and regular contact with the voters of their constituencies attending their demands and needs. If really, the Constitution of the European Federal Union wants to give power to the people rather than to the parties, the representation system has to be changed. To make a new Constitution leaving the people behind, with limited power to influence their destiny it would be a great failure of the future Federation. In my opinion, the moto of the European Federal Union should be: “Give the power back to citizens”. I should clarify that the population constituency system does not support “The nation-state structure of the EU…” and the “…accumulation of national and nationalist interests”, as Leo seems to imply.
(ii) I understand the reason given for a fix number of senators to each country irrespective of its population. However, I think it will be undemocratic that, if the House of States have legislative power, citizens of small population countries may have the same weight than countries with larger population. Again, if the nascent European Federal Union wants to leave “The nation-state structure of the EU…” and give the power to citizens the best way is the adoption of a population constituency system. With such a system, citizens would have the conviction to participate directly and effectively in the affairs of Europe.

In my opinion, the current proposed governance structure in Art. II of the European Federal Constitution does not change fundamentally the present EU framework.

Of course, if the 55+ finally opt up a population constituency system, there will be the need to further develop an organization chart to define the roles and mechanisms at each level.