Chaired by Philippe Adriaenssens, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF), the spokesmen debated how to ensure a good gender balance on the list as well as a large selection of young candidates.
Emphasis was put on the need for young people to get involved in transforming the European political parties into proper campaigning organisations.
Unanimous approval was given to Andrew Duff's argument that the introduction of pan-European lists would generate increased voter turnout.
Mr Duff told the conference: "It is time to break the rigid monopoly that national political parties and national states have over the membership of the European Parliament by supplementing the present system with the introduction of a modest transnational element. This will inspire a new interest in and identity with the European Parliament."
The leaders of the youth organisations -- JEF, EDS (PPE), EYS (PSE), LYMEC (ALDE), FYEG (Verts), DEMYC (EDU), European Youth Forum -- committed their organisations to campaigning hard for the reform.
27 June, 2011
Youth Organisations support pan-European Constituency for European Parliament
At a press conference today (Monday) seven organisations of EU youth, including those from all the mainstream political parties, gave strong support to the proposals to reform the electoral procedure of the European Parliament (the Duff Report) which is to be voted next week in Strasbourg.
