1. European transnational campaigning - ‘citizens initiative’ in the new EU- treaty (Art.11.4) National Democracies & transnational structures + Democracies in the practical test A contribution to the EAPC Conference “The challenge of Campaigning in tomorrow’s Europe” by Andreas Gross (Switzerland) Director of the Scientific Institute for Direct Democracy in St.Ursanne Swiss MP & Leader of the Socialdemocrats in the PACE Zuerich, 7 th of May2009 www.andigross.chwww.andigross.ch info@andigross.ch

2. Soon citizens will have the right for “European transnational campaigning” - following the new article 11.4 of the Lisbon Treaty No concrete utopian idea anymore - but the first transnational participatorial right for 1 Million of Europeans ! The European Parliament was ready to share it’s power with 1 Million of citizens Already a product of 20 years of citizen’s campaigning

3. The double crises of Democracy means: - Democracy is too representative - Democracy is too national 1. We have to open indirect democracy with direct democratic instruments: Citizen initiated referenda on laws decided by MP’s Citizen initiated referenda on constitutional or legislative reform-propositions 2. We have to trans-nationalize democracy: European Constitution making with a mandatory European Referendum Citizen initiated European Reform-Propositions to the EU-Com and EP

4. The EP understands the new right and as The EP understands the new right “as a new instrument to strengthen the democracy within the EU” and as “ a first step towards a transnational Direct Democracy”   Transnational Direct Democracy is possible !   Size matters, but is not a impossible obstacle.   “A common demos” is not the condition, but a fruit of a common democracy,a common constitution !   Many European citizens share the concerns of Swiss citizens...

5. But “size matters”: The bigger the space and the people to be included in a democracy the more you need ways to prevent freedom to become a privilege ! The capacity to campaign has to be guaranteed for all: The free gathering of 10’000 signatures from five countries qualifies a initiative committee to get vouchers for: Translations Websites Printing European Gatherings Train and flights for meetings

6. A well designed Direct Demo- cracy (DD) produces exactly what the EU needs most !   Reduction of the distance between citizens and polity (less alienation)   Participation produces a sense of belonging (Identification, common transnational identity building)   More public debates (Transnational public sphere)   More knowledge and collective learning process   A dose of DD helps to built the conditions to strengthen transnational democracy (“Transnational Demos”)