Draft resolution introduced in the Alþingi The Parliament of Iceland is going to deal with the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. A resolution supporting the efforts for such a new UN body of elected delegates was introduced last week by the former minister […]
The United Nations is the only true extant forum for global governance, but it is currently a forum that represents governments, not people. Democratic global governance is essential that includes opposition and minority opinions. All of humanity needs to be represented on a permanent and formal basis. A citizen-elected UN Parliamentary Assembly is a pragmatic step towards this goal and will help developing a true democratic and open world society.
Smári McCarthy, Member of Parliament and Chair of the European Pirate Party, Iceland, 2017
© Ögmundur Jónasson
In a globalized world – where development is dominated by international corporations, operating under the wings of the most powerful states – the role of democracy needs to be strengthened. The UN power structure reflects these realities, with veto power resting in the hands of the few and mighty in the Security Council. Democratizing the UN is more than timely and a UN Parliamentary Assembly could be an essential element in this.
Ögmundur Jónasson, Member of Parliament in Iceland, Chairman of the Constitutional and Supervisory Committee of the Icelandic Parliament and former Minister of Interior in Iceland, 2015