Swiss politicians back call for UN parliament

Supporters say the United Nations should become more democratic swissinfo.ch

Swiss parliamentarians have been playing a leading role in a worldwide campaign calling for the United Nations to have a parliamentary assembly.

At a media conference in the Swiss capital, Bern, on Thursday, supporters said this was a good way for the UN to become more democratic and closer to the people it represents.

A total of 400 parliamentarians from 70 countries are backing the campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA).

Forty-eight Swiss parliamentarians from six political parties have given their support to the idea.

“The UN has a democracy deficit,” said Swiss parliamentarian Remo Gysin, adding that in Switzerland every small commune had its parliament but the multinational UN did not.

This “gaping hole” should be filled with a UN parliament, he said.

The idea was “revolutionary”, according to Andreas Bummel from the Campaign for the Establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, the international committee of parliamentarians and non-governmental organisations behind the plan.

“At present, only country executives are represented at the UN, including those who have violated human rights,” Bummel said.

Swiss parliamentarian Joseph Lang said he was convinced that a more democratic UN would mean a more powerful UN.

“A parliament would give a voice to the poor, the opposition and minorities,” he said, adding that in Switzerland, it could help inform people in the country about the UN’s work.

Christoph Wiedmer, of the Swiss Society for Threatened Peoples, which is also supporting the plan, said a UN parliament could help democracy in the world as well. Only those countries with parliaments would be allowed to take part.

Instrumental

The Swiss have been instrumental in getting the idea off the ground. In 2005 a letter signed by more than 100 Swiss parliamentarians was sent to the then UN secretary-general, Kofi Annan, calling for him to look into the idea of a UN parliament.

This latest campaign is being launched in 11 cities, including Berlin, London, Dar es Salaam and Mumbai, over the next few days.

It claims to have the support of more than 20 acting and former national government ministers, including two former prime ministers and six former foreign ministers.

Among its more high-profile backers is former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali, who believes that a parliament would make the UN more transparent and efficient.

The idea is for the UNPA to include 700-900 elected parliamentarians who would act as direct representatives of civil society in global decision-making. Switzerland would be likely to receive four to five seats. Later on, members could be elected to the body.

The next step is a conference to be held in Geneva in October, which Bummel says is aimed at shoring up the backing for the plan.

swissinfo with agencies

In brief

Under the proposal, elected parliamentarians would act as direct representatives of civil society in global decision-making and would debate global issues.

Initially the UNPA could consist of delegates of national and regional parliaments, reflecting their political composition, meaning it would include members of minority parties not included in government. At a later stage the UNPA could be directly elected.

Campaign participants envisage that a UNPA, once established, would develop from a consultative body to a world parliament.