Newsletter

01 October 2012
www.democracy-international.org

Content:
1.    Irish People to vote on children’s rights
2.    Lessons from Switzerland for the EU
3.    Barroso: "More integration demands more democracy, European democracy"
4.    Press release: German constitutional court passes ESM and fiscal pact
5.    European Greens discuss EU convention

Dear members and friends of Democracy International,

This month I visited Brussels twice to listen to the discussions on more democracy and citizen participation that are going on in the European Parliament. Matched with an analysis of Barroso’s State of the Union speech the edition of this newsletter reflects the growing debate about more European integration and EU treaty change.

For Democracy International it is clear that we need an EU convention and EU referenda to let citizens choose which kind of European Union they want. In this view, we are gearing up for a campaign for a more democratic EU. More news will follow soon. But first of all, enjoy the read of this newsletter.

Best wishes from Cologne,
Cora Pfafferott

1.    Irish People to vote on children’s rights

On Saturday, 10 November 2012, Ireland’s three million registered voters are called to decide whether to amend the Irish constitution and to grant more rights to the child.

http://www.democracy-international.org/referendum-children.html

2.    Lessons from Switzerland for the EU
On Tuesday, 18 September 2012 a public hearing on „Citizen participation – How can the European Union provide better possibilities for the participation of its citizens?” took place in Brussels in the European Parliament

http://www.democracy-international.org/hearing-participation.html

3.    Barroso: "More integration demands more democracy, European democracy"
An analysis of the Commission President’s“State of the Union Speech” from a perspective of more (direct) democracy in Europe and Democracy International’s call for an EU convention

http://www.democracy-international.org/barroso-state-of-union.html

4.    Press release: German constitutional court passes ESM and fiscal pact

Strasbourg, 12 September: Germany’s top constitutional court has ruled today that the European Stability Mechanism (ESM) and the fiscal compact can only be ratified with the condition that the German Parliament keeps the control.

http://www.democracy-international.org/pressrelease-esm-sentence.html

5.    European Greens discuss EU convention
On Thursday, 6 September 2012, the Greens/ European Free Aliance met in the European Parliament in Brussels to discuss the future of the European Union and whether to campaign for an EU convention.

http://www.democracy-international.org/eugreens-convention.html

Imprint:
Cora Pfafferott
Democracy International

+49 (0) 2203 102 14 75
+49 (0) 2203 59 28 62 (Fax)
pfafferott@democracy-international.org
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Przekazuje ostatnie info do democracyinternational

NEWSLETTER
7 February 2012
www.democracy-international.org
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We have started a unique global information and collaboration platform on direct
democracy: the Navigator to Direct Democracy.  Our project partner is the Initiative
and Referendum Institute Europe.
The website itself is a project which needs your collaboration: Together we can feature
all available procedures, practices and events of modern direct democracy in all countries.
In order to facilitate collaboration, we believe that a standardized approach is necessary
and we will therefore make reference to a common typology (instruments) of popular
vote procedures on substantive issues.

You are most welcome to browse the Navigator as a user and to participate in developing
this new tool by becoming a commentator, contributor or editor of the Navigator:
http://direct-democracy-navigator.org/

Please use the new tool and send your remarks or questions to our editor Dr. Klaus
Hofmann (klaus.hofmann(mal pa)mehr-demokratie.de).

Regards
Ronald Pabst/Daniel Schily/Klaus Hofmann

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1.      Website for ECI: Official Homepage

On January 26 the EU Commission presented the homepage for the ECI. It provides
information on all citizens' initiatives, it explains the rules, and enables everybody to
launch an initiative:

http://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/public/welcome

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2.      Island
"Let the banks fail." This is a conclusion one might have looking at the development in
Iceland. But does a closer look change this impression? Read the report by Carsten Berg.

http://democracy-international.org/iceland.html

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3.      Events 2012

There are four events about direct democracy on the agenda: The most important is our
summer academy from July 13 to 15. It will take place probably in Bulgaria. Save the date,
we will soon publish more information. Please find an overview about upcoming events here:

http://www.democracy-international.org/events.html

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