The Union of European Federalists met in Brussels on 13 June to give their first reaction to the European Parliamentary elections. UEF wants the Parliament to postpone the formal appointment of the new President of the Commission until September to allow for a real political dialogue between the heads of government and the new political groups in the Parliament. 

In a statement today (Monday), Andrew Duff MEP, President of UEF, says:

‘Once again the European Parliament elections were characterised by national issues, the rise of populism and falling turnout. The so-called European political parties once again failed to deliver a European campaign about issues, ideology or personalities. 

‘The newly elected Parliament must now move quickly to re-assert the EU dimension by finding European solutions to Europe’s common problems. 

‘The parliamentary groups should enter into political talks with the Council’s preferred candidate for the President of the Commission, Mr José Manuel Barroso. Whatever the European Council decides to do this week with respect to his formal nomination, Parliament should postpone its own decision from its first plenary session in July until its second Strasbourg plenary on 14-17 September. This short postponement, which accords with the spirit of the Lisbon treaty, will allow both sides to take stock of the result of the elections and to draw appropriate democratic conclusions. 

‘The EU needs a strong political Commission with a broadly-based programme  which addresses economic recovery, immigration and climate change as its top priorities. All three challenges require action plans at the federal level. 

‘The institutions should re-examine the style and scope of their information and communications policies. ‘And Parliament should press ahead with its plans for electoral reform, including a transnational list to elect a proportion of deputies in 2014.

‘In these ways, the new Parliament will prove itself to be of real value to those European citizens who still have to be convinced of the added value of European unity.’

ENDS

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Editors' Note: The UEF, founded in 1947 is a supranational political movement dedicated to uniting Europe along federal lines.

Andrew Duff MEP (UK/Liberal) was elected President of the UEF last year. He also chairs the Parliament's Federalist Intergroup.

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