Towards a European Party System

• Author: Thomas Jansen
• Position: General Secretary H.C. European Movement
• Pages: 97-105

The EuroAtlantic Union Review, Vol. 1 No. 1/2014

97

DOCUMENTS

Towards a European Party System

Thomas Jansen*

Public political debate and decision-making are basic to democracy, which

also enshrines citizens rights, if they wish, to become personally involved.

It is fundamental that people see the community in which they live as their

business, and to feel comfortable with that fact. e same goes for the

European Union, whose success depends on its citizens’ participation and

consent. e arguments over what shape and structure the Union should

take, its organization and function as well as the competition for power in and

between the EU’s institutions must be carried out in the open. is public

debate is carried on by rival political parties. As European integration deepens,

such parties represent a vital social force. But if they are to be eective they

need to organise themselves at the European level to represent the will and the

interests of their constituents - Union citizens.

Function and Role of Political Parties

Political parties in democratic systems of government are associations of

citizens. Operating under commonly agreed upon rules and procedures, their

members sign up for a programme which reects the expectations, ideas, and

interests of a segment of the population, large or small. is is in the hope of

* General Secretary H.C. European Movement