Déclarations

Our global society needs a reformed United Nations: a democratically structured, global decision-making organization, that better mirrors our world of today. For this reason, I support the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.

Lars Engqvist, Former Minister of Health and Social Affairs and former Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, 2013

The United Nations could become significantly more authentic and credible in promoting parliamentary democracy around the world if it were under parliamentary control itself, exercised by a UN Parliamentary Assembly.

Mátyás Eörsi, Secretary-General of the Parliamentary Forum for Democracy, 2013

Our world is facing ecological disasters and challenges that are systemic and global. The response has to be systematic and global as well. That's why genuinely global institutions such as a UN Parliamentary Assembly are required.

Sándor Fülöp, Former Parliamentary Commissioner for Future Generations, Hungary, 2013

I'm enthusiastic about the idea of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. Representing the world's citizens, it would finally bring democracy to the global stage. If the Indian Union and the European Union can organize a parliament, the world as a whole can do it, too.

Johan Galtung, Norwegian sociologist and mathematician, principal founder of the discipline of peace and conflict studies, 2013

We are all global citizens. Our mutual challenges are dealt with by a variety of international institutions and forums, unfortunately with varying lack of effectiveness, and varying lack of transparency and democratic participation. Venstre supports the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly in order to increase democratic participation in the world’s most important international institution.

Trine Skei Grande, Member of Parliament and leader of Venstre, The Liberal Party of Norway, 2013

I propose to conceive of the international community as composed of, and constituted by, both states and citizens. This makes the idea of a world parliament indispensable. [Such an institution] would have relevant but rather limited competences and share these competences with the member states of the world organization.

Jürgen Habermas, German philosopher, 2013

Democracy is the core question of our time. We cannot leave the world to decision-making that is in the interest of big money or big powers – but not in the interest of the world’s citizens. A UN Parliamentary Assembly is a first step to establish global democracy. Today, we need to fight for a transnational and global democracy as our fathers fought for a national one.

Gerald Häfner, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of Democracy International, 2013

If we want to harvest peace, we must sow peace. Now is the time for humanity to change tactics for conflict resolution: from military to non violent solutions. A democratic UN parliament could be a great step on the road towards world peace.

KG Hammar, Former Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, 2013

Institutions such as the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would help to reduce what is today an outrageous distance between those who decide and those affected by their decisions.

Daniel Innerarity, Professor of Political and Social Philosophy, Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance in San Sebastián, Spain, 2013

The possibility of social events depends in part on beliefs about their possibility. Thus, the possibility of a global parliament is not independent from people’s beliefs about the possibility of a global parliament.

Mathias Koenig-Archibugi, Senior Lecturer in Global Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, 2013