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Saturday, July 9, 2016

We the People of the European Union

The European project must be based on the people. The EU is based on a treaty between sovereign states. Though it has to be based on the union of existing states, we want it to be a union of the people, and for this we need a Constitution: the project of a Constitution for the European Union must be revived.

Let us start with a preamble, the most essential part of a Constitution, because it states who we are and what we want to achieve: d’où venons nous, où sommes nous, ou allons nous? Where do we come from, where are we now, and where are we heading to? The preamble defines the essence of the project. This is a first draft. I wrote it in Baton Rouge, this Saturday July 9th, 2016. Help me out, this must be the voice of the people.

Draft #1:

We the People of the European Union,
Whether in Europe from times immemorial or recent immigration,
Aware of the fact that our continent is geographically open, wishing to keep it free from artificial boundaries, understanding that openness is of the essence of European identity,
Aware of the philosophical and spiritual heritage that freed us from tyranny and helped us promote the common good, government by the people for the people, representative democracy, the promotion and protection of human rights, the rule of law, habeas corpus, the elimination of discrimination,
Understanding that human diversity can only be protected by unity, that unity must not oppress minorities nor be dissolved by faction,
Sharing a common heritage and history and willing to share with other people of good will,
Understanding that neither empires nor nation states can secure peace, freedom, and prosperity but have been the cause of division, war, and destruction,
Understanding that our future is in our hands provided that we cooperate with peoples of other continents,
Understanding that sustainable development may only be secured and promoted by proper management of natural resources and the environment in Europe and outside, by suitable cooperation and self-restraint, mindful of the interest of generations to come,
That such sustainability rests on strong regional organization and worldwide cooperation,
Mindful of our ambivalent propensity to create the worst problems and the most enlightened solutions,
Mindful that human generosity is limited by self-interest, that our collective future is linked to that of mankind as a whole,
Willing to be a beacon of human enlightenment rather than a decoy of decadence,
In order to ensure and promote freedom, peace, and prosperity,
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the European Union. 

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