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MEPs and national counterparts discuss parliaments' role in global governance

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20140218PHT36308_originalOthmar Karas (left) and Miguel Angel Martínez Martíne

Many international organisations such as the United Nations take important decisions with little or no parliamentary oversight. To remedy this, many parliaments - including the European Parliament - have been advocating the establishment of a directly elected parliamentary assembly. On 18 February, the EU Parliaments in Global Governance Forum brings together MEPs and their national counterparts in Brussels to discuss how parliaments can play a bigger role in transnational decision making.

The forum is hosted by Miguel Angel Martínez, a Spanish member of the S&D group, and Othmar Karas, an Austrian member of the EPP group, who are the EP's vice-presidents responsible for relations with national parliaments.

“We are seeing more and more transnational decision via bodies such as the UN, IMF, WTO and the G20," Karas said. "Decisions made at this level should not be made behind closed doors, rather they should have full democratic oversight."

First things first?

However, sometimes it seems the parliamentary system itself is being challenged, at least in Europe. Martínez said:  “Citizens are increasingly realizing that their democratic representatives do not seem able to solve their problems. They are also more and more aware that financial powers are by far more relevant than politicians when it comes to taking decisions for our communities.” He added: “Parliaments have not lost legitimacy: they have lost genuine influence and power. And this is what should be restored.”

Click here to watch the debate live.

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