The Campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly National Level
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State of Civil Society/The Way Forward Bringing citizens an assembly would be an innovative platform of states and governments reaffirmed "that for global multi-stakeholder participation democracy is a universal value based on the to the core: that, in particular, includes representatives of freely expressed will of people to determine The case for a civil society organisations (CSOs) in its work. their own political, economic, social and United Nations cultural systems and their full participation The rise of democracy in all aspects of their lives." In UN practice, Parliamentary the acceptance of democratic governance Assembly The rise of democracy has been one of principles is reflected particularly in its the most important developments of the programmes related to state reconstruction. Andreas Bummel 20th century. Today, democracy is almost From Somalia to Myanmar, the unquestioned universally recognised as the only legitimate assumption is that the state that is being While support for democracy as a form of form of government. There are different reinforced is a democratic state. government has become almost universal, understandings of what democracy is, people are dissatisfied with how democracy and it comes in many different forms, but As assessments of empirical studies works in practice. One reason is that globali- nonetheless, international law and human conducted over the last decades show, sation is perceived to erode national demo- rights norms suggest some fundamental public dissatisfaction with the performance cratic institutions. Global interdependence minimum requirements. Article 21 of the of democracy is not to be confused with a and global challenges increase the need of Universal Declaration of Human Rights of rejection of democracy as an ideal form of global coordination, regulation and manage- 1948, for example, states that "the will of government. With average approval rates ment. In the process, agenda-setting and the people shall be the basis of the authority of up to around 90 percent, support for the decision-making on important political issues of government" and that this will "shall be abstract idea of democratic governance has been shifting to the global level. Global expressed in periodic and genuine elections" proves overwhelming throughout the world. intergovernmental institutions, however, pro- which shall be held by universal and equal It is no contradiction that at the same time vide little, if any, opportunities for democratic suffrage and secret vote. Article 25 of the there can be deep scepticism with regard to participation. The resulting democratic defi- International Covenant on Civil and Political how democracy actually works. This tension cit could be reduced if the widely recognised Rights, which entered into force in 1976, between public democratic aspirations and principles of democratic governance and rep- and which has been ratified by 167 states, satisfaction constitutes what could be called resentation were not limited to national gov- provides that every citizen shall have "the a democratic deficit.2 ernance but also applied at the global level. A right and the opportunity" to take part in key instrument to do so is the establishment such elections as well as "in the conduct The democratic deficit in of a United Nations Parliamentary Assem- of public affairs, directly or through freely global governance bly, which would bring together elected rep- chosen representatives." As early as 1992, it resentatives in a formal body designed to was argued that there is an "emerging right Ten years ago, the UN Secretary-General's strengthen the participation of citizen repre- to democratic governance."1 At the 2005 Panel of Eminent Persons on United Nations- sentatives at the United Nations (UN). Such World Summit of the United Nations, heads Civil Society Relations identified "deficits of 195 State of Civil Society / The Way Forward democracy in global governance." The pan- could be made that at least democratic gov- contrast to elected representatives or CSOs, el's assessment was quite to the point, and ernments that appoint these officials have a multinational corporations and their industry it is still valid. In its report the panel declared political mandate to do so, the reality remains associations are often granted access and that "one of the key principles of represent- that diplomats and negotiators are unelected consulted in international negotiations. It ative democracy is connecting citizens to and that the constituents of the political has been argued that shifting policy-making the decisions that affect them and ensuring opposition are not represented. Intergovern- to the international level is not always driven public accountability for those decisions." mental bodies thus are largely disconnected by pure necessity, but also by the intention However, it argued that "representative from democratic oversight, participation and of governments to limit domestic public democracy remains essentially national and deliberation. International treaty negotia- interference and discussion.4 local" and that "elected legislators and par- tions in particular are often conducted in liaments seem to have little impact total secrecy. Recent examples of The democratic deficit in global governance on decisions made intergov- this are the negotiations on is not only caused by the detached nature ernmentally." According to a so-called Anti-Counter- of intergovernmental processes but also the panel, the dissatis- feiting Trade Agreement, by dissatisfaction with the outcomes. faction with the perfor- which was fortunately International opinion research carried out mance of democracy rejected by the Euro- over the last decade shows that the world's is strongly linked to pean Parliament in citizenry as a whole is more receptive to "the perception that 2012, or the efforts for global solutions than those offered by their traditional forms of a Trans-Pacific Part- own national governments. Majorities in representation are less nership and a Transat- most countries, for example, support: a relevant in this age of lantic Trade and Invest- strong regulation of the arms trade; an globalization."3 Indeed, ment Partnership. international responsibility to protect people global interdependence of from severe human rights abuses by their economic, financial and tech- Citizens, civil society, and own government; the elimination of all nological systems, as well as global elected representatives have nuclear weapons (something supported challenges such as climate change, increase very few ways to be involved and seldom by citizens of the nuclear powers); more the need for global coordination, regula- are able to exercise much influence. Even if government spending to fight hunger and tion and management. Agenda-setting and intergovernmental processes might be open to severe poverty in the world; and higher decision-making on important policies are participation, the resources required to do so prioritisation of climate change.5 Perhaps shifting to the UN and its specialised institu- effectively are often prohibitive. Multinational there is a connection between the slow tions, as well as to international fora such as corporations, by contrast, do have the international progress on these matters and the G8 and the G20. The decisions of these financial capabilities to pursue their interests, the exclusive and undemocratic character of bodies are prepared by highly inaccessible for example, at bodies such as the Codex global governance. officials appointed by the executive branches Alimentarius Commission, which determines of national governments. While the point international food standards. Remarkably, by 196 State of Civil Society/The Way Forward The right to democratic and accountable international institutions to build international political pressure even global governance in all areas of cooperation", as well as "the if they do not possess strong formal powers. right to equitable participation of all, without Not at last because of the stir caused by this The essence of democratic governance, as any discrimination, in domestic and global inquiry, United States President George W. affirmed in the Universal Declaration of Human decision-making."6 Democratic governance Bush finally had to acknowledge in September Rights and the International Covenant on Civil in the international order must necessarily 2006 that such camps did indeed exist. and Political Rights, means that those who are entail the extension of parliamentary affected by a decision need to have a chance representation – which is the best expression A United Nations to influence it, at least through freely elected of ‘the will of the people’ – to the global level. Parliamentary Assembly representatives. The argument that decision- making at the global level should remain At the level of regional intergovernmental The idea of a democratically elected the purview of the executive branches of organisations the principle of involving international parliament is not new. It has national governments is dangerous nonsense. elected representatives is largely recognised, a long history that can be traced back to It is an antiquated remnant from times when and many of them have parliamentary the time of the French Revolution at the most important decisions were made at the bodies. The most developed supranational end of the 18th century. One early proposal national level and when it was still possible parliamentary institution is the directly