Green youth organizations in Europe endorse call for elected UN assembly

The Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), an umbrella organization of 38 environmental and Green political groups from across Europe, supports the international call for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations (UNPA). A resolution adopted at the federation’s general assembly on Saturday, 7 May, in Luxembourg, argued that “efforts to strengthen and revitalize democracy at the national and European levels do not suffice in the long run as more and more important decisions are being taken at the level of global intergovernmental institutions.” According to the resolution, the Federation of Young European Greens “joins the international Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.” Said the federation’s spokesperson Terry Reintke: "The green European youth is part of the worldwide movement that advocates a more democratic global governance.”

"We will face more and more global problems in the next years and we need to think and act globally to solve them. The Westphalian diplomatic system where each state defends its interests in international negotiations doesn't work any more. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would be better able to see the global interests and take global decisions," commented Matthieu Content, former UN youth delegate and International Coordinator of the Belgian French Speaking Young Greens (ecolo j), who introduced the resolution.

The call for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly is supported by green parties all over the world. It was also included in the final declaration of the second Global Greens Congress that met in May 2008 in Sao Paulo. The proposal is endorsed across principal party lines. Major international party networks that have expressed support, in addition to the Global Greens Congress, include the Socialist International and the Liberal International.

Members organizations of FYEG are either the youth wings of Green Parties or environmental non-governmental youth organizations.

FYEG resolution calling for a UNPA

Top image: Participants of the gathering in Luxembourg, by FYEG