As the EU officially launches the Conference on the Future of Europe process, the Co-Presidents of The Left in the European Parliament have reaffirmed their stance that the Conference must put citizens first, and that radical change is required for a Europe that is democratic, transparent and accountable:

Co-president Manon Aubry (France Insoumise, France) said:

“The vaccination fiasco shows once again the need to bridge the gap between European institutions and European citizens. The lack of democracy, transparency and accountability is structural, and the Conference for the Future of Europe cannot just be another communication gadget.”

“Our group will fight to change the very nature of European treaties and get rid of the competition, free trade, and market dogmas. The pandemic and the recession we’re facing have demonstrated how unfair and inefficient they are. No less than a radical change is required if we want to have a European Union working for the People and Planet – not shareholders and those who have profited from the pandemic!”

Martin Schirdewan (Die Linke, Germany) added:

“The Conference on the Future of Europe must not end up as a top-down event in which self-proclaimed European politicians du jour come up with the results.”

“This Conference can only be a success if citizens, civil society and trade unions are given a say and are involved in the debate from the outset. The proposals then need to be turned into real policy in order for the Conference to be a success for citizens of the EU.”

Photo courtesy of Giuseppe Milo on Flickr