Challenges to democracy

Motion for a Resolution

Doc. 7860

30 June 1997

presented by Mrs Vera Squarcialupi and others

The Assembly notes that:

1.The combined effects of social and technological changes are causing citizens to have a finer insight into political affairs and to aspire to greater participation;

2.In various countries, including those with a long-standing tradition of democracy, the trends are towards an adaptation of pluralist democratic systems to meet new challenges, such as globalisation, the new technologies, social exclusion and the equal-opportunities gap between the sexes;

3.These trends are bound up, inter alia, with the revision of constitutions to improve the functioning of the institutions of democracy and the need to strengthen the roles of both national parliaments and civil society;

4.The reduction of states' sovereignty within the European Union and the curtailment of their sovereignty by international rules (for example in trade matters) bring to the fore the need to strengthen the role of national parliaments so as to ensure that the rules of the democratic game remain balanced in favour of expression of the citizens' will;

5.In the Treaty of Maastricht the European Union made provision to strengthen the national parliaments' role and set up contact structures to that end, whereas the resources granted to the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations appear far from sufficient for the tasks assigned to it;

6.Into the bargain, strengthening of the role of national parliaments goes hand in hand with increased representation of women among elected representatives - the initiative in this direction already taken by the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations must be developed (see Recommendation 1008 on women in politics and Resolution 1079 on increased representation of women in the Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly);

7.At a more general level, promotion of gender equality is an asset for deeper-rooted democracy and, on account of its ramifications into all aspects of community life, is a matter not only for the Social Affairs Committee, but also for the Assembly's other committees;

8.Some of its activities should be better attuned to the major orientations of the Council of Europe, as defined in the work programme, the conclusions of the 1st Summit of Heads of State and Government and its Resolution 1324 on the 2nd Summit;

9.The limited budget resources available and the need to give the organisation a sharper profile in the eyes of the public call for an adjustment of its activities.

10.The Assembly considers that all its committees should give greater consideration to the implications of gender equality, depending on their spheres of action, and that the Committee on Parliamentary and Public Relations should follow up, firstly, its work on the functioning of democracy and its necessary adaptation to the new social and technological challenges and, secondly, its co-operation with non-governmental organisations to give civil society a greater role in public affairs.

11.Moreover, the Assembly undertakes to take account of these orientations in the use of its budget resources.

Signed: (1)

Squarcialupi, Italy, SOC

Aleffi, Italy, EPP

Beaufays, Belgium, EPP

Besostri, Italy, SOC

Bratina, Italy, SOC

Brunetti, Italy, UEL

Clerfayt, Belgium, LDR

Corrao, Italy, SOC

Cunliffe, United Kingdom, SOC

Cusimano, Italy, EDG

Diana, Italy, EPP

Domljan, Croatia, EPP

Evangelisti, Italy, SOC

Eyskens, Belgium, EPP

Ghesqui�re, Belgium, EPP

Giannattasio, Italy, EPP

Gnaga, Italy, LDR

Iotti, Italy, SOC

Lauricella, Italy, SOC

Lorenzi, Italy, LDR

Masseret, France, SOC

Polenta, Italy, EPP

Speroni, Italy, LDR

Staes, Belgium, EPP

Valkeniers, Belgium, LDR

Weyts, Belgium, EPP

Note: 1 SOC: Socialist Group

EPP: Group of the European People's Party

EDG: European Democratic Group

LDR: Liberal, Democratic and Reformers Group

UEL: Group of the Unified European Left

NR: Not registered not registered in any political group