Political Platform of the Young European Federalists calls for a UN Parliamentary Assembly
 

Political Platform of the Young European Federalists calls for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

23. November 2013

JEF-Brussels-JL

JEF action for a Europe without borders in Brussels with Jo Leinen MEP who is also Co-Chair of the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly

Over 160 young delegates from sections of the Young European Federalists (JEF) coming from all over Europe gathered in Paris on 1-3 November 2013 for the organization's XXII. European Congress.

Seven months ahead of the European elections, JEF adopted a renewed political platform stating the organization's demands for the future of Europe. In a section on "Federalism in Europe and the World," the new political platform includes support for the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly:

A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly should also be established as a consultative body within the United Nations system as a voice of the citizens. A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) for the first time would give citizen representatives, not only states, a direct and influential role in global policy. The assembly would not replace existing UN bodies but would be an additional means to integrate parliamentarians more effectively into the shaping of globalization. As a transitional step until direct elections become practical, the UN Parliamentary Assembly could consist of delegates from national and possibly regional parliaments, reflecting their political diversity. The UNPA would therefore include members of minority parties whose opinions are often not represented in the United Nations.

JEF is a pan-European network of young people established in 1972. The network now includes 31 official member sections and about 30,000 activists in over 35 countries. According to the organization's statutes, the goal of JEF is the creation of a democratic European federation as a crucial ingredient for peace, a guarantee for a more free, just and democratic society and a first step towards a world federation.

The congress in Paris re-elected Pauline Gessant as the organization's president.

JEF website
JEF online magazine "The New Federalist"