Newly elected MEPs vow to support a Federal Europe

On the eve of the opening session of the newly elected European Parliament, the Union of European Federalists (UEF) and the Young European Federalists (JEF), in cooperation with the City of Strasbourg, involved over 200 civil society activists and EU-committed citizens from all around Europe to express their expectations to the new members of the European Parliament.

The event “A new Parliament for new Europe” took place at Villa Schutzenberger in Strasbourg, at the headquarters of the European Parliamentary Association (APE) with the participation of over 20 federalist-minded MEPs, who committed to support federalist demands in the new European Parliament and engage to make the leading force in calling for EU’s renewals towards a democratic, sovereign and federal Europe.

Our debate included the participation of the following MEPs: Petras AUŠTREVIČIUS(Lithuania), Brando BENIFEI (Italy), Katalin CSEH (Hungary), Jonás FERNÁNDEZ ÁLVAREZ (Spain), Damian FREIHERR VON BOESELAGER (Germany), Daniel FREUND (Germany), Alexandra GEESE (Germany), Sven GIEGOLD (Germany), Sandro GOZI (France), Cristophe GRUDLER (France), Fabienne KELLER (France), Katrin LANGENSIEPE (Germany), Nathalie LOISEAU (France), Juan Fernando LÓPEZ AGUILAR (Spain), Alessandra MORETTI (Italy), Hannah NEUMANN (Germany), Niklas Hendrik NIENAß (Germany), Jutta PAULUS (Germany), Terry REINTKE (Germany), Domènec RUIZ DEVESA (Spain), Ignacio SÁNCHEZ-AMOR (Spain), Marie-Pierre VEDRENNE (France), Viola VON CRAMON (Germany).

The debates were organised in citizens labs around some of the five key policy areas for the future of the European Union: economic and social affairs, common asylum and migration policies, foreign affairs and defence, the future of the institutions and democracy within the EU and the fight against climate change.

The debate was followed by a reception hosted by the City of Strasbourg.

EDITOR'S NOTE

The Union of European Federalists (UEF) is a pan-European, non-governmental political organisation dedicated to the promotion of European political unity. For more than 70 years UEF has been a leading voice in the promotion of European unity and an early campaigner for key milestones in the development of the European Communities and then the European Union. With 25 national sections and over 400 local groups across Europe, UEF promotes a federal Europe among citizens and political representatives at all levels of government.

The Young European Federalists (JEF-Europe) is a non-partisan youth NGO with 13.000 members active in more than 30 countries. The organisation strives towards a federal Europe based on the principles of democracy and subsidiarity as well as respect for human rights. JEF promotes true European Citizenship, and works towards more active participation of young people in democratic life.

The Spinelli Group is an initiative launched in September 2010, led by Guy Verhofstadt, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Sylvie Goulard and Isabelle Durant, followed by Andrew Duff and Jo Leinen as co-chairmen of the MEP-Spinelli Group. The aim of the Spinelli Group is to become a network of citizens, politicians, academics and writers who are convinced it is time for Europe to move forward.

PRESS CONTACT:
Valentina Presa
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