Seven Youth Organisations Urging MEPs to Create an EU-wide Constituency European youth organisations from across the entire

political spectrum representing several millions of young Europeans are demanding in a joint Press Conference that MEPs muster the necessary courage for a bold reform of the way European Parliament elections are conducted. The event will take place on Monday 27 June from 17.30-18.30 (EP, Brussels) in the presence of MEP Andrew DUFF, Rapporteur for the electoral reform of the European Parliament.

Philippe Adriaenssens, President of the Young European Federalists (JEF), states: "No single MEP who truly cares about the legitimacy of the European Parliament can afford to ignore the chronically decreasing voter turnout and the engrained national character of the 'European' elections. The creation of an EU-wide Constituency is the only valid cure that is currently on the cards to solve the disconnection between the outcome of the elections and the selection of the Commission President on the one hand and reverse the widening detachment between EU Citizens and European decision-makers on the other." On the initiative of JEF, seven youth organisations have agreed on a joint Open Letter insisting that MEPs from all political groups support the ground-breaking proposal to create an EU-wide Constituency. The Young European Federalists (JEF), European Democrat Students (EDS), European Young Socialists (ECOSY), Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), European Youth Forum (YFJ) and Democratic Youth Community (DEMYC) are unanimous in demanding that an additional 25 MEPs be elected from transnational lists during the elections to the European Parliament and each EU Citizen thus have two ballots, one for national lists and the other one for EU-wide lists. The representatives claim that: "The Duff Report on electoral reform is a unique chance to raise the popular legitimacy of the European Parliament. Creating an EUwide Constituency will finally increase voter turnout, enhance the European dimension of the elections, personalise the election campaign and galvanise the development of the European political parties. [...] The introduction of transnational lists will turn the existing EU parties into real campaigning organisations and encourage the candidates for the European Commission to seek support beyond their own member state. Voters will choose for European politicians who presented their programme in several EU member states." Adriaenssens concludes: "Even though each of the signing organisations has different points to stress, they are united in their message that all MEPs, regardless of their political affiliation, should support the basic idea that EU Citizens should not be limited to voting for their own national candidates only. Introducing an original and exciting transnational element to the elections would finally generate a 'European' touch to the national debates in the media and create more awareness about EU politics. The ultimate aim is that European decision-makers feel accountable to all EU Citizens

instead of their national electorate or home party only and thus permanently act in the European interest." ENDS

CONTACT Philippe Adriaenssens, JEF-Europe President, president(at)jef.eu, +32 472 33 41 27

PRESS CONFERENCE The press conference will take place on Monday 27 June, from 17.30-18.30, in the Information Office of the European Parliament in Belgium, Rue de Trves, 3 (place du Luxembourg), 1050 Bruxelles. Please note: the only entrance is via the main doors at Place du Luxembourg. Registrations for people requiring an EP badge can be sent to sg@jef.eu until Thursday 23 June at 1 pm. In view of the usual security check, please do mention all of the following details: 1. Name, 2. First name, 3. Date of birth, 4. Nationality, 5. ID or Passport?, 6. ID or Passport number.

MORE INFO Open Letter signed by the Young European Federalists (JEF), European Democrat Students (EDS), European Young Socialists (ECOSY), Federation of Young European Greens (FYEG), European Liberal Youth (LYMEC), European Youth Forum (YFJ) and Democratic Youth Community (DEMYC): http://bit.ly/k5T0Vp. JEF's webpage about its EU-wide Constituency campaign: http://jef.eu/activities/campaigns/eu-wide-constituency. Article quoting the Open Letter in the European Parliament magazine here. EurActiv published an article by Andrew Duff on 16 May 2011 about the reform of the composition and the electoral procedure of the European Parliament that one can find here. Articles by European Voice here and here.

EXPLANATION ABOUT THE DUFF REPORT The main features of the Duff Report as how it was approved by AFCO on 19 April are the following: (source) 1. Additional 25 MEPs from transnational lists. An additional 25 MEPs above the current ceiling of 751 will be elected in a pan-EU constituency from transnational lists which will be gender balanced with candidates drawn from at least a third of

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states. These lists will be established by the European political parties and the election will be regulated by a new EU electoral authority. In effect, every elector would have two votes - one for the national or regional list and one for the transnational list. Mathematical formula for the redistribution of current 751 seats. The report calls for a dialogue to be opened with the Council on finding a mathematical formula for the redistribution of the current 751 seats in order to prepare for enlargement and to bring the composition of the House in line with the Treatybased principle of degressive proportionality. Bringing forward the election date. The report calls for the election date to be brought forward from June to May thereby enabling Parliament to constitute itself properly prior to the election of the new Commission President (ideally in July). Representation of women and minority candidates. The resolution calls on greater efforts to increase the representation of women and minority candidates. New draft Directive on the right of EU citizens. The resolution calls on the Commission to represent a new draft Directive on the right of EU citizens to stand and vote in a state other than their own. Revising Protocol on Immunities and Privileges. Finally, the report proposes a revision to the 1965 Protocol on Immunities and Privileges which would install a supranational regime for the European Parliament designed for modern standards.