2012-12-11T14:01:42Z https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/The-Face-of-European-Democracy,05377#comment15625 2012-12-11T14:01:42Z

<p>In Europe citizens already have various options to participate. I personally would not think creating even more diffusion makes it easier for citizens to control the political process. Rather than creating lots of new ways to participate we should strengthen existing institutions and mechanisms. Citizens will only participate if they see that their participation has an influence on society. Strengthening the European Parliament, reforming political parties, investing strongly in civic education and protecting media pluralism in my opinion should be the way forward.</p> <p>Where we really lack possibilities to participate all together is the global level. Zygmunt Bauman's call for new forms of democracy does not impress me until he offers a detailed alternative model which he believes would work. Also it has to be noticed that he has signed the appeal for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly and thus seem to not oppose institutions which are at least partly based on the experience we have already made in the nation states and in the European Union (Appeal for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly : en.unpacampaign.org/appeal). Obviously global democracy is a long term project with many obstacles still ahead.</p> <p>Awareness for global decision making is growing though. Campaigns like 350.org or projects such as WWViews.org are trying to bring citizens voices to the negotiation tables without running into the problem of difficult institutional reforms. We do have to think of all kinds of measures how to make global governance more accountable to the world citizens : building institutions such as a parliamentary assembly at the United Nations, eradicating poverty and hunger (poor cannot make themselfs being heard in political decision making), offering education, protecting the internet as a global platform for deliberation, making global governance more transparent, etc.</p>

2012-12-04T19:39:02Z https://www.thenewfederalist.eu/The-Face-of-European-Democracy,05377#comment15572 2012-12-04T19:39:02Z

<p>What exactly do you mean by the comment “this kind of democracy would be better and more controlled”. Who does the controlling ?</p> <p>Let us assume you establish your convention to devise a constitution, do you intend to put it to the people for their verdict given the annoying habit of the electorate to turn such wonderful opportunities down or will it simply be presented as a fact and imposed on them without consultation ?</p>