Stephan Röhl, CC BY-SA 2.0
Democracy is the core question of our time. We cannot leave the world to decision-making that is in the interest of big money or big powers – but not in the interest of the world’s citizens. A UN Parliamentary Assembly is a first step to establish global democracy. Today, we need to fight for a transnational and global democracy as our fathers fought for a national one.
Gerald Häfner, Member of the European Parliament and Chairman of Democracy International, 2013
If we want to harvest peace, we must sow peace. Now is the time for humanity to change tactics for conflict resolution: from military to non violent solutions. A democratic UN parliament could be a great step on the road towards world peace.
KG Hammar, Former Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, 2013
© Daniel Innerarity
Institutions such as the United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would help to reduce what is today an outrageous distance between those who decide and those affected by their decisions.
Daniel Innerarity, Professor of Political and Social Philosophy, Director of the Institute for Democratic Governance in San Sebastián, Spain, 2013
© Mathias Koenig-Archibugi
The possibility of social events depends in part on beliefs about their possibility. Thus, the possibility of a global parliament is not independent from people’s beliefs about the possibility of a global parliament.
Mathias Koenig-Archibugi, Senior Lecturer in Global Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science, 2013
© Jo Leinen
There exists no formal body that would give citizen-elected representatives a say in global governance. At best they have an observer status. This is not acceptable. In a democratic system, elected representatives are not standing by and observe what the governments do. They provide oversight and hold the executive accountable. This is what a UN Parliamentary Assembly needs to do.
Jo Leinen, Member of the European Parliament and Co-Chair of the Advisory Group of the Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly, 2013
© Isabella Lövin
We must not be silent when the Oceans are dying because short-sighted national interests make effective global rules impossible. Through a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly a platform could be established that finally makes the voice of humanity heard in support of the global interest and sustainable life on Earth.
Isabella Lövin, Member of the European Parliament and author of the book "Silent Seas", 2013
© Gabriela Michetti
Sooner or later, the creation of a UN Parliamentary Assembly as a key for a more democratic global order will be at the top of the political agenda. It is inevitable to give democratically elected representatives of the world's citizens a say in matters that affect all of humanity, for instance environmental and climate protection, global financial issues, human rights, or disarmament.
Gabriela Michetti, Member of the Argentinian Chamber of Deputies, 2013
© Federica Mogherini
Faced with the globalization of economy and finance, the mounting imbalance in the distribution of wealth, or asymmetric threats to international security, the answer that is provided by the cooperation of nation-states is often no longer enough. There's an increased urgency that political institutions and instruments of participation and democracy also go through a process of globalization. That's why I support the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly.
Federica Mogherini, Member of Parliament and Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Italy, since November 2014 High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission, 2013
© Kansei Nakano/WFM-Japan
A global parliamentary body elected by and accountable to the world's citizens would increase understanding and solidarity across national borders in an unprecedented way and would contribute to the emergence of a real democratic world community. As a first step, a UN Parliamentary Assembly should be established.
Kansei Nakano, Former Vice-Speaker of the Japanese House of Representatives, 2013
© CEUNPA
Building on its strong democratic tradition and its long-standing involvement at the United Nations, Senegal needs to spearhead the initiative for the creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. The UN needs a body with universally elected representatives to become more democratic, more transparent and more legitimate.
Aimé Assine, Vice-President of the National Assembly of Senegal, 2013
© Alban Bagbin
The absence of a UN Parliament has left a wide gap in the architecture of global democratic governance and must be bridged as soon as possible. Representatives of governments alone do not sufficiently represent the people.