Fifth and last Sunday walk to the squares of the twin towns
Rheine. Around 100 people took part in the fifth and final Sunday walk for the European elections next weekend. Dr. Angelika Kordfelder, Chairwoman of the Europa-Union Steinfurt, welcomed the participants at Borne. She thanked the committees that had organized this walk for the “Rheine bleibt bunt” alliance: Europa-Union Steinfurt, the Society for Security Policy and the town twinning association Rheine.
From Borneplatz, the walk went to the other town twinning squares. Via Leiriaplatz and Trakaiplatz to Bernburgplatz at the town hall. At the individual stops, members of the organizations read out statements from the Federalist Manifesto.
The Federalist Manifesto for the European elections on June 9, 2024 was adopted by the joint Federal Committee of the Europa-Union Deutschland (EUD) and the Young European Federalists (JEF). This manifesto formulates the non-partisan expectations of the politicians who will bear responsibility in and for Europe in the years 2024 to 20291. Here are some of the key demands from the manifesto:
- Democratic Europe:
- The goal is the European federal state, a federally and subsidiarily organized Europe of citizens.
- Democracy and the rule of law must always be affirmed and defended. Effective sanction mechanisms for violations are necessary.
- The European Parliament should be given the right of initiative.
- A uniform European electoral law with a Europe-wide voting age of 16 and above and a first vote for national and regional candidates and a second vote for lists of European parties is called for.
- Citizen participation:
- Europe belongs to the people, so they should be effectively and sustainably involved in decision-making processes.
- Organized civil society, including youth associations, should be respected as experts on the issues they advocate.
- Sustainability and equal opportunities:
The manifesto emphasizes the importance of a democratic, constitutional and pluralistic Europe that puts the interests of citizens at the center. It is a call for a new departure for Europe, especially in view of the global challenges of our time1. You can find more information in the full manifesto.