18 DE JULHO DE 2015

21

25 de junho de 2014

Debate sobre

“Por uma melhor democracia europeia”

 Deputado Mota Amaral (PSD)

Madam President,

Honourable Parliamentarians,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

The report we discuss today is indeed very timely.

Democracy in Europe is facing a serious crisis.

Across the Continent, citizens feel they are not getting an adequate representation in their governing

institutions.

Traditional mechanisms of representative democracy are now considered insufficient and new

instruments of direct and participatory democracy have been introduced in several countries at

different levels of government.

On the other hand, politics, politicians and political institutions seem to be less and less effective to

face and solve collective problems, and the economic and financial powers tend to overshadow the

genuine authority to pursue common goals of legitimate democratic institutions.

In what concerns the European Union, a perception has been expanding that power has been

captured by bureaucrats, and elected officials, were are put in a lower position of influence.

In this context, abstention of voters is a serious threat to the vitality of democracy.

The outcome of the recent election of the European Parliament should sound as an alarm to the

leaders of the European Union and its member-countries.

In his visionary report – for which I compliment and thank him most sincerely – Andreas Gross

elaborates about measures to bring power in the EU closer to the citizens.