Fernando Iglesias

There are different ways to build a better global order and many initiatives for any of them. But there is only one path towards a democratic global order: a world parliament. The campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly currently is the most advanced initiative in existence that works towards this goal.

Don Davies

Co-operation at the global level is essential and democratic input by citizens inevitably is vital in global governance. For issues such as climate change, this is not a luxury, but a necessity. This points inexorably to the need for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.

Global Week of Action

In a democratic order, citizens elect representatives at multiple levels. There are city councils, provincial or state parliaments and national parliaments. And yet for global matters that affect each and every person on the planet, there exists no elected world parliament. A world parliament would be an instrument to find and implement solutions that are democratic, accountable and serve the best interest of humanity.

Margaret Zziwa

The fact that there still is no parliamentary body at the UN more and more interferes with the world organization's democratic legitimacy. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would strengthen the democratic nature of the UN and bring it closer to the citizens. That's one of the reasons why the East African Legislative Assembly supports its establishment.

Brigitte Zypries

The idea of a democratically elected world parliament seems like a nice, but still distant dream if one considers the many dictatorships in the world. The establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly however, that initially has advisory powers and exercises oversight, could be a good and feasible first step into this direction.

Alfred de Zayas

One promising avenue of giving ... space to the citizens of the planet is the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, which could start initially as a consultative body and gradually develop into a legislative assembly. This is an ambitious plan, but one that with patience and determination is implementable, taking the European Parliament as a model.

Frieder Otto Wolf

The global community will not succeed in solving its deep crisis and huge common problems if the citizens have no say and no right to participation. From a humanist perspective, democratising the UN through a parliamentary assembly thus isn't only merely useful, it's indispensable.

Graham Watson

Ensuring the well-being of the people of the world and the capacity of our planet to sustain life requires a level of global cooperation never seen before. There will be times when national interests and global interests collide. A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly could act as an arbiter and ensure that the voice of the world's citizens carries weight.

Gudrun Schyman

A democratic world parliament could strengthen the voice of our world's women who are often marginalized in the forums of male-dominated national governments. A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would be a decisive step in this direction.

Martin Schulz

The European Parliament may serve as a model for how a UN Parliamentary Assembly could develop over time. What once began as an advisory body composed of national parliamentarians is a directly elected legislature today, even if the development is still ongoing. We are delighted that the example of the European Parliament is inspiring and encouraging the efforts for democratizing the UN system and global governance.