Statements

sedatmehder.com

The United Nations has been the global and crucial voice for peace, human rights, justice and environmental protection since its founding. At the same time, the UN faces limitations when member state governments do not represent the interests of their citizens. This is why the creation of the UN Parliamentary Assembly is so relevant for us – to give voice to every citizen, woman and man, all over the world; to create legitimacy by true representation, and to enhance political responsibility of the states’ leaders.

Cem Özdemir, Chairman of the Green party of Germany and Member of Parliament, 2016

Workable World Trust

I firmly believe that a World Parliamentary Assembly would be the best way to allow for citizen input in global governance. Providing the diverse strands of humankind with a meaningful voice in making the decisions that will shape their destiny will do more to legitimize the UN than any other reform that I can envisage.

Joseph E. Schwartzberg, Distinguished International Emeritus Professor, University of Minnesota, author of the book "Transforming the United Nations System" and founder of the Workable World Trust, 2016

ptptn.gov.my

As I believe in participatory democracy, it is a logical step for me to support the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.

Dato Irmohizam Bin Ibrahim, Member of Parliament from Malaysia, 2015

In a globalized world – where development is dominated by international corporations, operating under the wings of the most powerful states – the role of democracy needs to be strengthened. The UN power structure reflects these realities, with veto power resting in the hands of the few and mighty in the Security Council. Democratizing the UN is more than timely and a UN Parliamentary Assembly could be an essential element in this.

Ögmundur Jónasson, Member of Parliament in Iceland, Chairman of the Constitutional and Supervisory Committee of the Icelandic Parliament and former Minister of Interior in Iceland, 2015

Co-operation at the global level is essential and democratic input by citizens inevitably is vital in global governance. For issues such as climate change, this is not a luxury, but a necessity. This points inexorably to the need for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly.

Don Davies, Member of Parliament and Official Opposition Critic for International Trade, Canada, 2014

There are different ways to build a better global order and many initiatives for any of them. But there is only one path towards a democratic global order: a world parliament. The campaign for a UN Parliamentary Assembly currently is the most advanced initiative in existence that works towards this goal.

Fernando Iglesias, Council Chair of the World Federalist Movement and President of Democracia Global, Argentina, 2014

Without a global parliament, a democratic deficit exists in the way that the world's citizens are involved in global matters. Through elected representatives, a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly would resonate with the global population, providing it with a voice for presenting sensitive issues, to include addressing human rights violations, tackling corruption in governments and international administrations, and promoting democratic rights at all levels.

Patricia Schroeder, Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1973-1997), 2014

Gobal warming can only be handled by a global authority. This will happen once the consequences become conspicuous. But will it be done in a democratic manner? I hope so, and I see the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assemby as a first step to assure this.

Torbjörn Tannsjö, Professor of Practical Philosophy at Stockholm University and author of the book "Global Democracy: The Case for a World Government., 2014

Thomas Hummitzsch, CC-by-sa 3.0

The global community will not succeed in solving its deep crisis and huge common problems if the citizens have no say and no right to participation. From a humanist perspective, democratising the UN through a parliamentary assembly thus isn't only merely useful, it's indispensable.

Frieder Otto Wolf, President of the Humanist Association of Germany and Professor of Philosophy at Free University of Berlin, 2013

One promising avenue of giving ... space to the citizens of the planet is the establishment of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, which could start initially as a consultative body and gradually develop into a legislative assembly. This is an ambitious plan, but one that with patience and determination is implementable, taking the European Parliament as a model.

Alfred de Zayas, United Nations Independent Expert on the Promotion of a Democratic and Equitable International Order, former Secretary of the United Nations Human Rights Committee, 2013

The idea of a democratically elected world parliament seems like a nice, but still distant dream if one considers the many dictatorships in the world. The establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly however, that initially has advisory powers and exercises oversight, could be a good and feasible first step into this direction.

Brigitte Zypries, Member of Parliament and Minister of Justice from 2002-2009, Germany, 2013