FAQ
What is the political purpose of Newropeans?
In the current crisis, the EU needs to regain the confidence of its citizens. The only way to do this is by democratising the European Union. European citizens have to control the main orientations of the European project. The process of democratization also requires a renewal of the European elites. Today, mainly national political parties - which have little interest in Europe - and bureaucrats - who understand little about democracy - are running the European Union and are responsible for today’s dilemma.
The process of making the EU democratic is a matter for all citizens of this continent. But they need a political instrument in order to achieve the “democratic new beginning” of the European project. We believe that Newropeans can be this instrument. In order to contribute actively to this democratisation, Newropeans run for European elections, with the same programme and the same name, in the whole European Union.
What is special about Newropeans as a trans-European political movement?
Newropeans is not like political movements and political parties you know, because...
- We are the only true trans-European political movement which directly involves its members into its strategic, programmatic and organisational decisions and brings a truly trans-European voice into the European debate.
- Newropeans is hence the only movement coherent with the European level of decision: a trans-European network with a European program standing for European elections only. Newropeans is hence the most credible actor for the aim of “making Europe work”, something unachievable without the citizens.
- Newropeans has a historical task: to be the catalyst for the democratisation of the European Union. Newropeans, thus, has a limited duration (15 to 20 years) and will quit the political arena when democratisation of the EU is achieved.
- Newropeans has members from all kinds of national democratic political parties and movements. We transcend the classical divides in party politics - for one of the most important challenges of our time: to make the EU democratic.
- Newropeans is a movement formed by volunteers, independent of national or economic organisations. The Newropeans are professionals, pragmatic, close to social reality. They are not professional politicians. Newropeans, as a movement, is what we call for Europe to be: diverse, free and democratic.
- Newropeans is rooted in 20 years history of European innovation (the foundation of the first-trans-european students’ movement Aegee-Europe, the impulse for launching the first European student exchange programme Erasmus, the creation of the trans-European think-tank Europe 2020 ...).
Why did Newropeans choose a salamander as symbol?
We think the salamander in many, and probably surprising ways symbolises the political nature of Newropeans.
- The salamander is a symbol of the ‘Renaissance’. There is no better historical reference for Newropeans than to be connected to the Renaissance - a period marking the transition from medieval to modern times, a humanistic movement reviving intellectual, political, artistic, philosophical achievements that spread throughout all of Europe.
- The salamander symbolizes courage and indestructibility, hence our willingness to stand up against existing structures. It also symbolises ‘fragility’ being a tiny animal, which Newropeans still is.
- The salamander can recover when wounded, even when amputated.
- The salamander symbolizes cold/rationality versus fire/extremism. In ancient myths, it was said to extinguish fire. Newropeans is a very rationally conceived project (time limited, outside right/left divide, only EU elections). It is a tool, an artefact, a project - which exists to oppose the burning trends of nationalism/xenophobia/racism ... fuelled by non-rational fears and feelings.
- The salamander belongs to our common cultural legacy throughout the whole of Europe.
- And, last but not least, look at a map of the EU, turned up-side down. You will discover that the EU 27 looks like a salamander: head (Spain and Portugal), forelegs (Italy and British Isles), rearlegs (Bulgaria/Romania and Denmark), tail (Scandinavia) and body (the other member states). So the salamander is not only Newropeans’ symbol. It is also the current shape of the EU.
What are Newropeans’ main proposals for the democratisation of the EU?
Here are just three examples of how Newropeans wants to ensure the EU democratisation:
- with the introduction of trans-European referenda for future EU treaties and enlargements
- with a trans-European vote and a national/regional vote to each EU citizen for the European elections by equal election rights and equal valuation of his vote
- with suppressing the lifelong judicial immunities enjoyed by EU bureaucrats.
Is Newropeans on the left or right of the political spectrum?
Neither, nor. Newropeans is a trans-European political movement whose principal objective is to contribute to making the European Union democratic. Democracy is not something exclusive to the right or the left. On the other hand, Newropeans is firmly opposed to all movements/political groups which are anti-democratic in nature, such as are found on both political extremes. Following the same logic, Newropeans is against any political force which is fundamentally opposed to European integration per se.
Is Newropeans a pro-European movement?
No, Newropeans is the first “trans-European” movement. It is not a “pro-European” movement because for Newropeans the EU is our environment (as water is for fishes). For us, it is our natural environment. It is our priority now to organize this political environment in a democratic way, so that the 500 millions European citizens can directly influence the European decisions affecting their daily lives.
How will Newropeans act in the European Parliament?
On all the major political questions debated in the EP, Newropeans will adopt a four-fold approach:
- make proposals (or support proposals) systematically encouraging democratisation of the European policy areas concerned: improving the way opinions of citizens and involved actors are taken into consideration in the policy in question (both in terms of the way the policy is devised and in its implementation and evaluation).
- gather majorities around its proposals and programme embracing the full political spectrum from left to right and national positions;
- oppose the current way the EP functions as an echo chamber for the Council and Commission.
- impose the EP as a source of legislative proposal, even if the treaties do not allow it, justifying this with the direct election by the citizen.
Can one be a member of Newropeans and a member of a regional or national political party?
Yes, except if this party defends anti-democratic or xenophobic positions or is against the European integration process.
What will Newropeans do during national or regional elections ?
Newropeans will not present any candidates or lists in national or regional elections, only in European elections. However, Newropeans will publish a comparative study of the political programmes presented, giving the electorate information on their degree of compatibility with that of Newropeans, every time there is a national or regional election in a Member State of the EU. In this case, to inform, is also to act politically.
How is Newropeans financed?
Newropeans is financed by the membership fees and donations from its members and supporters. Newropeans does not receive any public funding - neither national nor European.
Is Newropeans a political movement that wants to take power in Europe?
Newropeans is a political movement of limited life-span (between 15 and 20 years maximum). Its objective is to help the European Union to become more democratic. Once this democratisation has been achieved, it will be up to a trans-European left and right to take up the running. One could compare Newropeans to the “Democratic Fronts” that many European countries have known in their past, when citizens fought for and obtained the “democratisation of their country”.
Who runs Newropeans?
Its members: for the first time in the history of Europe, citizens can join the same trans-European political movement and participate directly (without national, regional or local intermediary) in the major decisions, including the election of the leadership. Newropeans is managed by an Executive Committee whose members come from all parts of the EU. All members of Newropeans participate in its Agora (general meeting) votes, by Internet voting.
How does Newropeans assure democracy and efficiency in its own organisation?
All members of Newropeans are directly members of the whole European movement and can therefore propose and vote together with the other European members. Newropeans’ intranet allows online debates and votes on all issues regarding Newropeans internal organization, its strategy and its programme. Newropeans is hence a laboratory for the future European online-democracy.
How can I join Newropeans?
Those joining Newropeans clearly wish to work for or support the “democratisation” of the EU and for the continuation of the European project, in order to show that the European Union and democracy are compatible. It is possible to contact Newropeans directly, either on the European level, or through a local network to find out when and where to participate in an information meeting. Of course, you can also become a member without attending an event, through the internet. Membership costs €100 per annum and €25 for those who are under 30. As Newropeans requests that the life-long legal immunity of community officials is suppressed, it only offers a supporter status to community officials as long as the life-long immunity is not eliminated.
Can one support Newropeans without becoming a member?
Of course it is possible to become a supporter of Newropeans, without becoming a member, and thereby to be kept informed of its activities each month (via the Newropeans newsletter). A supporter does not have the right to vote in Newropeans.
Which languages are spoken within Newropeans?
Newropeans is multilingual, and applies the recommendations of its own programme in matters of language. Its internal functioning, notably in the decision making organs, is bilingual, using French and English without any translation. That therefore demands that each Newropeans office holder masters at least one other European language - even French and English mother tongue speakers. These two languages are the core of the internal newsletter of the Newropeans network, aimed notably at the local and sector-specific networks, but complemented by other languages upon members’ request. In the major internal political meetings, such as the Agora (general assembly) or the intranet, the debates will take place in five languages: English, German, Spanish, Polish, and French. Communication to the citizens will be in all the languages of the EU. The web site of Newropeans works with the same linguistic policy.
What is a local or functional network in Newropeans?
Newropeans decided to create two types of internal structures in order to bring together members from the same geographic region or members with the same field of interest to help build our organisation. They are called the “local networks” and the “functional networks”. They have no political role in the organizations: their leaders do not represent the members, as all Newropeans directly participate in decisions taken on the Intranet or at the Agora (general assembly). The local and sector-specific networks organise the activities of Newropeans in a region, town or professional sector by means of meetings, debates, participation in trans-European projects, preparation/organisation of the campaign, etc. The members of Newropeans have together discussed and adopted the internal regulation on the role and status of local networks.