Global crises require global solutions. Occasional summits, intergovernmental agreements and international cooperation are not enough. For instance, the globalization of finance requires new functional and democratic institutions as well as an elected body capable of coordinating their activities and determining the contents of international law, a world parliament.
Heikki Patomäki, Professor of World Politics at the University of Helsinki, Finland, 2012
The United Nations is dysfunctional and unable to act. I strongly support the creation of a democratically elected UN Parliamentary Assembly. This is what is desperately needed to give the world's citizens a true voice.
Abdulbaset Sieda, President of the Syrian National Council in exile in Sweden, 2012
Moçambique bör stödja skapandet av en global parlamentarisk församling inom Förenta Nationerna. Som ung parlamentariker från Afrika stöder jag detta underbara initiativ. Vi lever i en "global by" där varje nation och varje världsmedborgare borde bjudas in för att göra och säga något för en bättre värld.
Ivone Soares, Deputy President of the Commission on International Relations of the Parliament of Mozambique, 2012
It is remarkable that major international organizations do not yet possess any formal parliamentary organ, not even in an advisory capacity. In particular, this is the case with regard to the UN, the WTO, the World Bank and the IMF. A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would contribute significantly to overcoming an ever-growing legitimacy gap at the international level.
Claudia Kissling, Board member of the Committee for a Democratic U.N. in Berlin, 2011
The time is right to put into practice the principle "That which concerns everyone must be decided by everyone." The Security Council – with the five permanent members’ power of veto – more often than not serves only to block decisions adverse to those five, or even only one of them. Where really is democracy in the world today? We need a World Parliament which effectively represents all the peoples of the Earth.
Mario Capanna, Italian politician and writer, President of the Genetic Rights Foundation in Rome, 2010
Democracy is only complete if elected representatives take part in decision-making. That's why a parliamentary assembly also needs to be created for international organizations. It needs to be vested with adequate powers and shouldn't be a mere talking shop.
Eva Högl, Member of the German Parliament, 2010
Today democracy has become the touchstone for legitimate governance at the local, provincial and national levels. Perhaps the international system's greatest anomaly in our age of globalization is that it is not yet organized along democratic lines. It is time for a global parliamentary assembly.
Andrew Strauss, Professor of Law at Widener University School of Law, United States, 2010
Globalization has transformed the relationship between the individual and the world community, and made necessary the need for practical measures to democratize global governance. A UN Parliamentary Assembly would be an important step in the right direction.
Lloyd Axworthy, Former Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs, President of the University of Winnipeg, 2010
I can imagine that a democratic world parliament comes into being and that this world parliament tackles the problems which actually should already be handled today: Environmental pollution, the development of the economical and ecological conditions for living together, or the prevention of war. We need world laws today.
Uri Avnery, Israeli writer, former Member of Parliament and founder of the Gush Shalom peace movement, 2009