[political]

How to change the EU immediately without changing Maastricht or the EU rules.

Debate with Noam Chomsky

How the Liberal Establishment Lost the Plot.

What must be done? Our horizon
Realism demands that we work toward reaching milestones within a realistic timeframe.
This is why DiEM25 will aim for four breakthroughs at regular intervals in order to bring about
a fully democratic, functional Europe by 2025.

Now, today, Europeans are feeling let down by EU institutions everywhere. From Helsinki to Lisbon,
from Dublin to Crete, from Leipzig to Aberdeen. Europeans sense that a stark choice is approaching fast.
The choice between authentic democracy and insidious disintegration. We must resolve to unite to
ensure that Europe makes the obvious choice: Authentic democracy!

When asked what we want, and when we want it, we reply:

IMMEDIATELY: Full transparency in decision-making.
• EU Council, Ecofin, FTT and Eurogroup Meetings to be live-streamed
• Minutes of European Central Bank governing council meetings to be published a few weeks
after the meetings have taken place
• All documents pertinent to crucial negotiations (e.g. trade-TTIP, ‘bailout’ loans, Britain’s status)
affecting every facet of European citizens’ future to be uploaded on the web
• A compulsory register for lobbyists that includes their clients’ names, their remuneration,
and a record of meetings with officials (both elected and unelected)

WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS: Address the on-going economic crisis utilising existing institutions
and within existing EU Treaties

Europe’s immediate crisis is unfolding simultaneously in five realms:
• Public debt
• Banking
• Inadequate Investment, and
• Migration
• Rising Poverty

All five realms are currently left in the hands of national governments powerless to act upon them.
DiEM25 will present detailed policy proposals to Europeanise all five while limiting Brussels’
discretionary powers and returning power to national Parliaments, to regional councils, to city halls
and to communities. The proposed policies will be aimed at re-deploying existing institutions (through
a creative re-interpretation of existing treaties and charters) in order to stabilise the crises of public
debt, banking, inadequate investment, and rising poverty.

[Prosthetic Conscience]

DiEM25 will present detailed policy proposals to Europeanise all five while limiting Brussels’
discretionary powers and returning power to national Parliaments, to regional councils, to city halls
and to communities. The proposed policies will be aimed at re-deploying existing institutions (through
a creative re-interpretation of existing treaties and charters) in order to stabilise the crises of public
debt, banking, inadequate investment, and rising poverty.

I don't understand that. 'Europeanising' things and 'returning power' to nations, regions etc. seem to be contradictory. So their fundamental policy is unclear.

[political]

I don't understand that. 'Europeanising' things and 'returning power' to nations, regions etc. seem to be contradictory. So their fundamental policy is unclear.

The policy is explained in clear terms further on the page where the previous extract was taken from:

https://diem25.org/manifesto-long/

European problems require pan-European solutions but that does not necessarily mean that these solutions should be brought forward by the bureaucracy in Brussels. These solutions as per the manifesto can be found through pan-European citizen assemblies and by making EU institutions totally transparent so that there is synergy between current EU institutions, citizen assemblies, unions and national governments. Europeanising in this sense means making authentic pan-European political movements instead of empowering faceless Brussels.

WITHIN TWO YEARS: Constitutional Assembly

The people of Europe have a right to consider the union’s future and a duty to transform Europe (by 2025) into a full-fledged democracy with a sovereign Parliament respecting national self-determination and sharing power with national Parliaments, regional assemblies and municipal councils. To do this, an Assembly of their representatives must be convened. DiEM25 will promote a Constitutional Assembly consisting of representatives elected on trans-national tickets. Today, when universities apply to Brussels for research funding, they must form alliances across nations. Similarly, election to the Constitutional Assembly should require tickets featuring candidates from a majority of European countries. The resulting Constitutional Assembly will be empowered to decide on a future democratic constitution that will replace all existing European Treaties within a decade.

BY 2025: Enactment of the decisions of the Constitutional Assembly.

WHO WILL BRING CHANGE?
We, the peoples of Europe, have a duty to regain control over our Europe from unaccountable ‘technocrats’, complicit politicians and shadowy institutions.

We come from every part of the continent and are united by different cultures, languages, accents, political party affiliations, ideologies, skin colours, gender identities, faiths and conceptions of the good society.

We are forming DiEM25 intent on moving from a Europe of ‘We the Governments’, and ‘We the Technocrats’, to a Europe of ‘We, the peoples of Europe’.

Our four principles:

No European people can be free as long as another’s democracy is violated
No European people can live in dignity as long as another is denied it
No European people can hope for prosperity if another is pushed into permanent insolvency and depression
No European people can grow without basic goods for its weakest citizens, human development, ecological balance and a determination to become fossil-fuel free in a world that changes its ways – not the planet’s climate
We join in a magnificent tradition of fellow Europeans who have struggled for centuries against the ‘wisdom’ that democracy is a luxury and that the weak must suffer what they must.

With our hearts, minds and wills dedicated to these commitments, and determined to make a difference, we declare that.

eo.

OUR PLEDGE
We call on our fellow Europeans to join us forthwith to create the European movement which we call DiEM25.

To fight together, against a European establishment deeply contemptuous of democracy, to democratise the European Union
To end the reduction of all political relations into relations of power masquerading as merely technical decisions
To subject the EU’s bureaucracy to the will of sovereign European peoples
To dismantle the habitual domination of corporate power over the will of citizens
To re-politicise the rules that govern our single market and common currency
We consider the model of national parties which form flimsy alliances at the level of the European Parliament to be obsolete. While the fight for democracy-from below (at the local, regional or national levels) is necessary, it is nevertheless insufficient if it is conducted without an internationalist strategy toward a pan-European coalition for democratising Europe. European democrats must come together first, forge a common agenda, and then find ways of connecting it with local communities and at the regional and national level.

Our overarching aim to democratise the European Union is intertwined with an ambition to promote self-government (economic, political and social) at the local, municipal, regional and national levels; to throw open the corridors of power to the public; to embrace social and civic movements; and to emancipate all levels of government from bureaucratic and corporate power.

We are inspired by a Europe of Reason, Liberty, Tolerance and Imagination made possible by comprehensive Transparency, real Solidarity and authentic Democracy.

We aspire to:

A Democratic Europe in which all political authority stems from Europe’s sovereign peoples
A Transparent Europe where all decision-making takes place under the citizens’ scrutiny
A United Europe whose citizens have as much in common across nations as within them
A Realistic Europe that sets itself the task of radical, yet achievable, democratic reforms
A Decentralised Europe that uses central power to maximise democracy in workplaces, towns, cities, regions and states
A Pluralist Europe of regions, ethnicities, faiths, nations, languages and cultures
An Egalitarian Europe that celebrates difference and ends discrimination based on gender, skin colour, social class or sexual orientation
A Cultured Europe that harnesses its people’s cultural diversity and promotes not only its invaluable heritage but also the work of Europe’s dissident artists, musicians, writers and poets
A Social Europe that recognises that liberty necessitates not only freedom from interference but also the basic goods that render one free from need and exploitation
A Productive Europe that directs investment into a shared, green prosperity
A Sustainable Europe that lives within the planet’s means, minimising its environmental impact, and leaving as much fossil fuel in the earth
An Ecological Europe engaged in genuine world-wide green transition
A Creative Europe that releases the innovative powers of its citizens’ imagination
A Technological Europe pressing new technologies in the service of solidarity
A Historically-minded Europe that seeks a bright future without hiding from its past
An Internationalist Europe that treats non-Europeans as ends-in-themselves
A Peaceful Europe de-escalating tensions in its East and in the Mediterranean, acting as a bulwark against the sirens of militarism and expansionism
An Open Europe that is alive to ideas, people and inspiration from all over the world, recognising fences and borders as signs of weakness spreading insecurity in the name of security
A Liberated Europe where privilege, prejudice, deprivation and the threat of violence wither, allowing Europeans to be born into fewer stereotypical roles, to enjoy even chances to develop their potential, and to be free to choose more of their partners in life, work and society.

What is your view on this policy proposal:

When asked what we want, and when we want it, we reply:

IMMEDIATELY: Full transparency in decision-making.
• EU Council, Ecofin, FTT and Eurogroup Meetings to be live-streamed
• Minutes of European Central Bank governing council meetings to be published a few weeks
after the meetings have taken place
• All documents pertinent to crucial negotiations (e.g. trade-TTIP, ‘bailout’ loans, Britain’s status)
affecting every facet of European citizens’ future to be uploaded on the web
• A compulsory register for lobbyists that includes their clients’ names, their remuneration,
and a record of meetings with officials (both elected and unelected)

[Rugoz]

That so-called manifesto is a collection of glittering generalities.

The only thing of substance is the call for more transparency (laudable but not much to chew on) and the constitutional assembly.

The latter ignores that treaty changes are the prerogative of member states and parliament is only asked out of courtesy.

[JohnRawls]

That so-called manifesto is a collection of glittering generalities.

The only thing of substance is the call for more transparency (laudable but not much to chew on) and the constitutional assembly.

The latter ignores that treaty changes are the prerogative of member states and parliament is only asked out of courtesy.

Its okay, DIEM25 has a decent program. The problem is how realistic are they to implement it. Which is probably not realistic.

[Rugoz]

Its okay, DIEM25 has a decent program. The problem is how realistic are they to implement it. Which is probably not realistic.

There's no program to speak of.

[JohnRawls]

There's no program to speak of.

Huh? What about this at least?

WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS: Address the on-going economic crisis utilising existing institutions
and within existing EU Treaties

Europe’s immediate crisis is unfolding simultaneously in five realms:
• Public debt
• Banking
• Inadequate Investment, and
• Migration
• Rising Poverty

[Rugoz]

Huh? What about this at least?

WITHIN TWELVE MONTHS: Address the on-going economic crisis utilising existing institutions
and within existing EU Treaties

Europe’s immediate crisis is unfolding simultaneously in five realms:
• Public debt
• Banking
• Inadequate Investment, and
• Migration
• Rising Poverty

Wtf? How is "address the on-going economic crisis" a program? It's the most obvious non-program ever.

[JohnRawls]

Wtf? How is "address the on-going economic crisis" a program? It's the most obvious non-program ever.

I guess but i know what their proposals on the subject actually are. Regarding banking they recommend either shared debt below 60% maastricht level among all states or if that is not acceptable then the same below 60% debt is called "good debt" and is given for almost 0% interest and is guaranteed by the European central bank. So the interest burden will decrease severely for most in debt states which should lower debt maintanence to sustainable levels even for greece.

For banking and indaquete investment they recommend a reform of the Euro and the Eurozone because Euro is too beneficial for Germany/Poland/Baltic/Benelux and too harmful for southern European countries. Perhaps an introduction of 2 currency system for north and south with different fiscal policies. This relates to investment too because the southern Euro should be a bit looser to increase inflation so it will make investment and borrowing cheaper.

Migration they stand for open borders policy but its pretty vague. I have no real clue what changes they want to introduce here. A more stricter system is not something that they will support. To the best of my knowledge they want something along the lines of Merkel where all states participate and pay for their own immigrants. As history shows this system doesn't work. You can't force countries to take immigrants who don't want to take them.

Rising poverty is their left stick. This is rather hard to implement because this is more dependant on member states and not the EU. But in general they support workers rights, less bargaining power for the financial/banking sectors and more bargaining power for workers.

[Nonsense]

I don't understand that. 'Europeanising' things and 'returning power' to nations, regions etc. seem to be contradictory. So their fundamental policy is unclear.

Well, there's certainly contradictions there alright, after all, the Treaty of Rome declaration was about 'ever closer union' .

But it also highlights something I have said about The Labour Party policy on Europe, in that under the 'Third-Way' with the BLAIR goverment, their 'devolution' policy of sending power outwards to the Welsh,Scottish-Irish, ran in a contrary direction to it's staying in europe & being subjected to the political centralisation of political power in Brussels-Europe.

Like many situations, that doesn't compute in my extremely logical central processor unit(Brain).

[political]

Its okay, DIEM25 has a decent program. The problem is how realistic are they to implement it. Which is probably not realistic.

If they are elected it is realistic that their program will be implemented.

Their program looks very decent indeed and those who claim that it is "general" they must have never seen a party manifesto in their lives before. This program is more specific than any other program submitted in the EU elections. In the first video of the OP, Varoufakis provides very specific, measurable and clear steps of implementation. The objectives of the program for more transparency, citizen participation and reigniting investment are wonderful and the steps of implementation are clear and concise.

[JohnRawls]

If they are elected it is realistic that their program will be implemented.

Their program looks very decent indeed and those who claim that it is "general" they must have never seen a party manifesto in their lives before. This program is more specific than any other program submitted in the EU elections. In the first video of the OP, Varoufakis provides very specific, measurable and clear steps of implementation. The objectives of the program for more transparency, citizen participation and reigniting investment are wonderful and the steps of implementation are clear and concise.

The program is okay. Most of it is not within the competence of the EU becides the crysis points that i described earlier. So that part can be cut out fully. As for the crysis program and solutions that they advise, it will be very hard to push for any of their solutions because they contradict some of the interests within the EU.