[fse-esf] As a follow-up to the NO vote in France and Holland...

[GARRIDO Raquel]

Dear Friends,

 

You are all cordially invited to a European Seminar for a European
Constituent Assembly

Feb. 23 and 24, 2007

French Senate.

 

Best Regards,

Raquel GARRIDO

Initiative pour une Assemblée Constituante Européenne

 

Registration details bellow

 

 

INITIATIVE FOR A EUROPEAN CONSTITUENT PARLIAMENT

Representatives from 18 European countries came together in Madrid on 26th
January 2007 to form the “Friends of the Constitution”. They intend to push
for the adoption of a major part of the draft text rejected by the French
and Dutch voters, following a series of secret diplomatic discussions. Hence
this attempt to isolate the two countries in order to pressure them into a
change of position, and without any intention of consulting the European
people. This disastrous reasoning can lead to nothing less than a backlash
of nationalist feeling and a further widening of the divide that has been
created across the board between Europe’s leaders and the citizens of the
European Union.

Nevertheless, following the massive rejection by referendum of the draft
European Constitution in 2005 by the French and Dutch people, the European
Union has entered into a new phase. 

For the first time in its existence, the course of the European construction
process has been disrupted by the direct intervention of its citizens, in
two of the founding EU countries, following an open democratic debate which
gave them the opportunity to express their supreme opinion.

It is no longer possible to turn back, and yet events are unfolding as
though nothing had happened. European leaders at the highest level wish to
pursue the construction of the European Union without asking for the
peoples' consent, and without taking into account the rejection of
liberalism that they have widely voiced, hence acting against their
aspirations.

We believe that, on the contrary, the backing of the European people has
become a prerequisite for the construction process to continue, threatened
as it is by the wave of nationalist sentiment and a growing temptation to
abandon the ideal of a social and democratic model for Europe in order to
accommodate the demands imposed by liberal globalization and American
unilateralism.

In opposition to this approach, we propose that the European construction
process be reoriented in accordance with the people’s expectations. We
believe that it is now necessary to form a Constituent Parliament which will
allow the EU to openly adopt the new Constitution it requires following a
public debate and a universal citizens’ vote. 

It is for this reason that, two months before the French Presidential
elections, we have decided to organize our first seminar to promote a
European Constituent Parliament. We invite all those who support this method
to attend, with the common ambition of promoting the project before the
European people. 

 

PROGRAMME 

Friday 23rd February

>From 9h00 Arrival at the Senate, 15 rue de Vaugirard, Paris.

10h00 Salle Médicis, at the Senate, before a public audience (approx. 200
people)

The state of the debate in the different EU countries. 
The German presidency. 
The importance of the French presidential elections 
as an outlet to the “NO” vote.

Speakers : Vicent Garcés, MP for Valencia (PSOE, Spain) ; delegates from the
Linkspartei (Germany) ; Jean-Maurice Dehousse (PS, Belgium); Miguel Portas,
MEP (Left-Wing Bloc, Portugal) ; Henri Wehenkel (Déi Lénk, Luxembourg) ;
delegates from PRS (Pour la République Sociale, France) ; David Soldini
(representing the European Federalist Movement), delegate from Synaspismos
(Grece); Jan Majicek, from SOK (Czech Republic); Oscar Reyes from TNI
(Transnational Institute), Netherlands).

13h00 Lunch

15h00 Salle Médicis, at the Senate

Democracy at a European level, past and future.

Session 1 : What we don’t want. The characteristics of an un-democratic
institution.

Speakers : Michael Efler from Mehr Demokratie (Germany); Erik Wesselius on
corporate lobbying in Brussels (Corporate European Observatory), 

Session 2 : What we want. Institutions made for the people, by the people :
a European Constituent Parliament. 
Speakers : Leo Gabriel (as organizer of the joint European and Latin
American initiative “Enlazando Alternativas”, speaking on recent constituent
experiments in Bolivia, Ecuador and Venezuela) ; François Delapierre
(General Secretary of PRS, France) on the constituent method; David Soldini,
on the 50 year struggle to democratize the EU on behalf of the European
Federalist Movement

19h30 End of session 


Saturday 24th February

10h00 Salle Médicis, at the Senate, before a public audience (approx. 200
people)

Interviews with the left-wing candidates at the French Presidential
elections (or their representative):

These sessions will take place consecutively. There will be no debate
between the different candidates. Certain sessions may be programmed on the
Friday depending on the candidates’ schedules.

-Marie-Georges Buffet (or representative)

-François Coustal (for Olivier Besancenot)

-Yves Salesses (for José Bové)

-Speaker for Ségolène Royal

-Speaker for Dominique Voynet (tbc)

 

13h00 Lunch, directly followed by a meeting of the Initiative’s
“Coordinating Council” :

• Decisions on how to structure our project. 
• Definition of short, mid- and long term objectives, programming of next
events and meetings.

15h00 Salle Médicis, at the Senate, before a public audience

Political conclusions 

With Jean-Luc Mélenchon, Senator (PS, France) and members of the Initiative
for a European Constituent Parliament.

18h00 End of seminar

 

Due to the fact that we are organising this event at the Senate, we are only
able to accept participants who have registered by name via our site. Please
do so as soon as possible, as the number of places is restricted.

Registration on the following website : www.pourlarepubliquesociale.org
<http://www.pourlarepubliquesociale.org/> 

Or  http://www.pourlarepubliquesociale.org/article/articleview/593/1/136/

 

For any question or suggestion, please contact Raquel GARRIDO, coordinator
of the Initiative, and international representative of PRS :
raquel.g at noos.fr

 

 

 

 

 

 

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