Activities of Othmar KARAS related to 2023/2017(INI)
Plenary speeches (1)
Parliamentarism, European citizenship and democracy (debate)
Shadow reports (1)
REPORT on Parliamentarism, European citizenship and democracy
Amendments (30)
Amendment 5 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 a (new)
Citation 11 a (new)
– having regard to the Conclusions of the Presidency of the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC) held in Prague on 24-25 April 2023 1g, _________________ 1g https://parleu2022.cz/wp- content/uploads/2023/04/EUSC-Prague- Presidency-Conclusions-final-EN-1.pdf
Amendment 6 #
Motion for a resolution
Citation 11 b (new)
Citation 11 b (new)
– having regard to the Conclusions of the Plenary Meeting of the LXIX Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC)1h held in Stockholm on 14-16 May 2023, _________________ 1h https://secure.ipex.eu/IPEXL- WEB/conferences/cosac
Amendment 7 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A
Recital A
A. whereas wthe Eurgently need to reform parliamentarism, European citizenship and participatory elements of European democracyopean Union and its Parliaments are confronted with common, unprecedented and complex challenges; whereas there are, on the one hand, external challenges, such as Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the COVID-19 pandemic, the climate and energy crises, disinformation, foreign interference and digitisation; whereas there are, on the other hand, internal factors, such as the rise of extremes and political actors who put polarization, populism, nationalism, blaming and confrontation before the search for common solutions; whereas, in a vicious circle, law is broken, values are violated and citizen’s trust in politics and its decision-makers is lost;
Amendment 11 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A a (new)
Recital A a (new)
Aa. whereas, in this context, the common foundation of liberal parliamentary democracy is under pressure, outside and inside the European Union; whereas Parliaments, as the directly elected chambers of the citizens, are at the heart of liberal democracy;
Amendment 12 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A b (new)
Recital A b (new)
Ab. whereas a common definition and understanding of liberal parliamentary democracy and the political will for making it more resilient are urgently needed – all the more so in light of the current challenges and a changing political environment, for ensuring the functioning of the separation of powers and with a view to encourage citizens to make use of their right to vote in all elections;
Amendment 13 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital A c (new)
Recital A c (new)
Amendment 15 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital B
Recital B
B. whereas there should be no democratic decision without parliamentary approval; whereas Article 15 TEU specifies that the European Council mustshall not exercise legislative nor executive functions; whereas Parliament’s lack of a direct right of initiative prevents it from representing the voicethe European Parliament, despite being the only directly elected EU Institution, does not yet have a general direct right of cinitizens properlyative;
Amendment 22 #
Motion for a resolution
Recital C
Recital C
C. whereas the conclusions of the 1c CoFE call for more democracy and for representative democracy to be enhanced through greater citizen participation; strengthening European democracy, for improving the EU’s decision-making process in order to ensure the EU’s capability to act, and for representative democracy to be enhanced through increasing citizens’ information, participation and youth involvement; _________________ 1c https://www.europarl.europa.eu/resources /library/media/20220509RES29121/20220 509RES29121.pdf
Amendment 34 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 a (new)
Subheading 1 a (new)
Recognises that liberal parliamentary democracy is under pressure and cannot be taken for granted, especially in the current times of common, unprecedented and complex challenges and a changing political environment; strongly believes that it is urgently needed to sustain, strengthen and promote liberal parliamentary democracy; considers that parliamentarism in the European Union is one of a kind as the EU is a unique project with its special history, distinct legal order and enshrined fundamental rights;
Amendment 35 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 b (new)
Subheading 1 b (new)
Emphasises the key role of the Parliaments at the heart of European liberal democracy as the directly elected chambers of the citizens, legislators and scrutinizers of the executive; acknowledges that liberal democracy can only successfully prove itself if parliamentarism strives and functions; stresses that a functioning separation of powers between the legislative, executive and judiciary needs strong Parliaments;
Amendment 36 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 c (new)
Subheading 1 c (new)
Amendment 37 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 1 d (new)
Subheading 1 d (new)
Considers that the current shift from a “parliamentary” to “governmental” democracy as well as the unanimity principle weaken all Parliaments in the decision-making process – on national, regional and European level; underlines that liberal democracy cannot be reduced to a simple „yes“ or „no“ and that legislation should emerge from a compromise between varieties of different interests; considers the abuse of national vetoes in the context of the unanimity principle as undemocratic; underlines that it is necessary to overcome blockades and to work on common solutions, which include rather than exclude;
Amendment 38 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 1
Paragraph 1
1. Strongly believes that Parliaments should be part of every democratic decision-making process and that there should be no democratic decision without parliamentary approval; underlines that the unanimity principle excludes Parliaments in the decision-making process and therefore weakens liberal parliamentary democracy; stresses that the European Parliament, as the only directly elected EU institution, should be granted the general direct right of legislative initiative and full authority over the budget and that it should be enabled to lay downas the chamber of the EU citizens it should be the driving force behind the strategic priorities of the European legislative agenda;
Amendment 42 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 2
Paragraph 2
2. Considers that the European Council’s practice of ‘tasking the Council and the Commission’ goes beyond the role of strategic guidance assigned to it by the Treaties, and is therefore contrary to both the word and spirit of the Treaties; considers it necessary to improve the working relationship between the European Council and Parliamentrespect the division of competences as defined in the Treaties;
Amendment 47 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 3
Paragraph 3
3. PReiterates its proposesal that the Council be transformed into a true legislative chamber by reducing the number of Council configurations to one by means of a European Council decision, so as tothus createing a genuinely bicameral legislative system based on the Council involving the Europeand Parliament and Council, with the Commission acting as the executive;
Amendment 49 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 4
Paragraph 4
4. Considers thatReiterates its long-standing calls for the Council shouldto switch from unanimity to qualified majority voting (QMV) wherever this is possible under the Treaties in the short term, and permanently by means of Treaty changes, in orderfor example by activating the various Passerelle clauses in the Treaties, and permanently by means of Treaty changes, in order to overcome blockades, to enhance the EU’s ability to act and to make EU decision- making more efficient, effective and democratic;
Amendment 55 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 6
Paragraph 6
6. Calls for the European Parliament, the Council, and the Commission to continue to improve cooperation modalities with the CoR and the EESC; suggests in particular the strengthening of an informal exchange between the Chairs of the Committees in the European Parliament and the Presidents of the Sections in the EESC, the establishment of a regular informal exchange on the level of the Political Group Chairs with the Groups in the EESC and that the rapporteurs of the CoR and EESC be invited to participate in considering draft reports in the parliamentary committee and committee debriefing meetings on interinstitutional negotiations, where applicable;
Amendment 57 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7
Paragraph 7
7. Emphasises the key role of pParliaments at the heart of democracy and calls for closer coordithe respect for a clear division of tasks between the four levels of European liberal democracy, on the municipal, regional, national and political dialogue betweenEuropean levels, in line with the principle of subsidiarity as laid down in Article 5 TEU; stresses the need for clear responsibilities and competences with regard to democratic legitimacy, control and decisions to be efficient and effective, avoiding mutual distrust and a weakening of the Parliaments in the decision-making process; underlines in this regard, that national pParliaments and the European Parliament to make it more meaningful and substantial, also scrutinise their respective national governments, while the European Parliament scrutinises the democratic accountability and legitimacy of the European executive; underlines the need for regular political dialogue and exchange between the Parliaments in order to create awareness and understanding frameworks such as Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC); stresses the importance of the subsidiarity principle as laid down in Article 5 TEU; or the parliamentary work and decisions, such as in frameworks of the Conference of Speakers of the European Union Parliaments (EUSC) and the Conference of Parliamentary Committees for Union Affairs (COSAC);
Amendment 61 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 7 a (new)
Paragraph 7 a (new)
7a. Underlines that in the spirit of the Latin word “parlare”, liberal parliamentary democracy requires a Parliament in presence; notes that while digitisation and the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the development and application of modernised working methods to improve resilience with respect to emergencies and crises situations, they cannot substitute voting, debating, negotiating, meeting and exchanging in presence; stresses that, at the same time, the enhanced use of digital possibilities has the potential to contribute to a better political understanding between Parliaments on the national, regional and European levels, as part of strengthening communication, information and cooperation and helping to reach the common climate and environmental goals by reducing transport and travel emissions;
Amendment 77 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 11
Paragraph 11
11. Calls on the Commission and the Member States to better inform non- national Union citizens (i.e. Union citizens who reside in a Member State of which they are not nationals) about their right to vote in or run for office in municipal and European elections; stresses that it should be considered to extend such ‘mobile’ EU citizens’ right to vote and stand should be expanded to regional and national elections in Member States;
Amendment 80 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 12
Paragraph 12
12. Recalls thatiterates its call for the introduction of a single, harmonised age for voting and for standing as a candidate should be introduced across the EU; is of the opinion that the minimum age for voting should be set at 16; , respectively, passive and active voting rights across Member States and recommends to introduce a minimum voting age of 16, without prejudice to existing constitutional orders establishing a minimum voting age of 18 or 17 years of age; reiterates its opinion that giving the right to vote at the age of 16 would reflect current rights and duties that the European young people already have in some Member States;
Amendment 83 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 13
Paragraph 13
13. Recalls that the European Parliament has consistently expressed its concern that any national scheme that involves the direct or indirect sale of EU citizenship undermines the very concept of European citizenship; calls on the Member States concerned to put an end to such practices;
Amendment 86 #
Motion for a resolution
Subheading 3
Subheading 3
Improving representative democracy throughand citizen participation
Amendment 88 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 15
Paragraph 15
15. Stresses the need to create a comat instruments of direct or participatory democracy cannot substitute the necessity for reprehsenstative participation infrastructure in the EU, with better connection and integration of existliberal parliamentary democracy in an increasingly complex world; underlines that every additional structure that takes over a responsibility of the Parliaments may weaken the Parliaments and the citizen’s trust ing participatory instruments through a one- stop shop for all European participatoryliamentary work, creates double structures and leads to inefficiencies in the democratic decision- making processes; notes that mechanisms of direct or participatory democracy can be useful instruments aund new avenues for permanent participationer specifically framed circumstances; underlines the necessity of a “responsible” democracy instead of a “mood” democracy;
Amendment 98 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 16
Paragraph 16
16. ProposReiterates theat institutionalisation of representative deliberative processes of participation based on the model of the CoFE’s European Citizen line with the founding text of the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFE), the European Parliament, the Council and the Commission have committed to following up effectively on the conclusions of the Conference, each within the remit of their competences Panels; believes that the use of ‘mini-publics’ with randomly selected participants representing subsets of the socio- economic structure of the Union will help prevent unequal access to participation in EU decision-makingd in accordance with the Treaties; urges for the swift and consistent implementation of the results of the CoFE, encompassing 49 proposals and 326 concrete measures delivered by the CoFE’s European Citizens Panels; reiterates its call for a Convention for the revision of the Treaties;
Amendment 102 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 17
Paragraph 17
Amendment 109 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 18
Paragraph 18
Amendment 111 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 19
Paragraph 19
Amendment 116 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 20
Paragraph 20
20. UnderlinNotes the potential for the exercise of European citizenship through online tools such as online consultations, and online collection of signatures for European Citizens’ Initiatives, and electronic voting; stress; notes that electronic ID canmay facilitate the use of such tools at European level as well as provide a variety of options for access to public services;
Amendment 119 #
Motion for a resolution
Paragraph 21
Paragraph 21
21. Reiterates its long-standing call to amend the EU Treaties to allow for EU- wide referendums on matters relevant to the Union’s actions and policiesfundamental constitutional matters that initiate paradigm changes of the European Union's actions and policies such as a reform of the EU Treaties; underlines, in this context, the need for the application of the ‘double majority rule’ of 55% of the EU Member States and 65% of the EU population; may propose that such an EU-wide referendum could be organised in the course of European parliamentary elections by providing an additional ballot addressing the fundamental constitutional matter in question;