What may inspire the EU from I

1
What may inspire the EU from IR experiences in
Switzerland ?

• Some discussion points
• from Andreas Gross
• www.andigross.ch
• at the Meeting
• Options and limits of Direct Democracy in the
  European Integration Process
• organised by the Swiss Mission to the EC and the
  IRIE in
• Brussels, October 9th 2003

2
What may encourage the EU to have a closer look
to the Swiss DD (and federalism)

• ? The modern Swiss State (since 1848) had to
  integrate old and very proud states, which is
  always more difficult than the task to integrate
  young and less established states (U.S.A.)
• ? Its possible to create a transnational
  Federation while leaving the sovereignty to the
  nations (A lesson CH learned from the USA)
• ? The double character of a Federation (made by
  the peoples and the member-states) is to be
  ensured in a equal bicameral parliament (Another
  lesson CH learned from the USA)
• ? DD is not Switzerland you dont have to like
  Switzerland if you like DD

3
The positive inspirations from the Swiss
experiences with Direct Democracy (DD)

• ? Its possible to share power with the people
• ? When people participate they learn more
• ? Decentralization and participation (DP) allows
  you to integrate very different peoples and
  states
• ? DP enables you to develop unity in diversity
• ? Participation increases the reform potentials
  of a society
• ? DD reduces the distance between citizens and
  politicians, increases legitimacy of politics and
  offers more identification of the parts with the
  whole

4
What the EU can not learn from the Swiss
experiences with Direct Democracy (DD)

• ? The Swiss see democracy as a privilege
• and not as a basic human right (Non-nationals ?
  No rights)
• ? The Swiss are very sensitive to their rights,
  but not enough sensitive to the qualification of
  the process which leads to the vote (Unfair
  process leads to unfair results)

5
What too many Europeans wrongly think they might
learn from Swiss DD experiences

• ? DD does not make a society conservative ? The
  mirror is not responsible for the face it shows
  you every morning
• ? DD is not a privilege for a small society ?
  The possible size of a DD entity is the result of
  cultural skills and technological possibilities
• ? The public sphere as well as cultural
  integration are products of DD and not their
  conditions ? You appreciate and learn swimming
  only after you tried it

6
What Europeans have to learn from the Swiss
experiences when they try DD

• ? They dont have to take DD, but if they do ?
  They must be aware that the design of DD decides
  about its quality and its merits as well as
  its political potentials
• ? A citizen friendly design is possible ? not
  too many signatures, not too quick and no fast
  food, interactions and cooperation's instead of
  antagonisms and confrontations
• ? The heart of DD are communicative processes ?
  The DD design has to encourage communication
  instead of obstructing it (Quorums)
• ? DD is about issues not persons ? Direct
  elections may undermine DD

7
What Europeans have to make better than the Swiss
when they choose DD

• ? Size and quantity (SQ) require investments in
  civil society building and support for active
  citizens who want to use DD
• ? SQ need a set of rules to avoid unfair
  campaigning , transparency and a fair
  distribution of the opportunities to think,
  discuss and make up the minds
• ? The DD design needs to create incentives to
  encourage transnational citizen engagement and
  movements

8
A good design of Direct Democracy in the European
Constitution would be a great support for the
future of the European integration

• ? You dont have to start with the whole ensemble
  of DD at once
• ? You may learn the best from DD in CH, CAL,
  Oregon, Italy and DK and avoid the worst and find
  a genuinely new and potent European DD in the
  interest of the Europeans and the European
  Integration
• ? It cant be a copy, but a way how to do better
  and try harder