Enthusiastic about Europe at the Bavarian Parliament
Last weekend, 87 young people aged between 16 and 22 from all over Bavaria came together at the Bavarian Parliament for a Youth Parliament to discuss the enlargement of the European Union and to adopt a common Resolution. The topics that also formed the boards were: European Identity, Institutional Questions, the Corporate Security and Foreign Policy, Labour Market and Social Policy, Economic Policy.
It is quite ironic that the normally conservative dominated Bavarian Parliament was taken this weekend by more left-wing orientated young people who showed several views and approaches towards Europe that really differ in a refreshing way from political views that are normally disposed at the “Maximilianum” or enter common sense solutions in Bavaria in general. As President of the Parliament the young delegates voted for the red-haired, dreadlock-apparelled 18-year old Stella Schmid who lives an alternative lifestyle in Munich and just left her community in an ex-squatted house to live with her parents again for she wants to finish school and therefore needs a “less hectic” atmosphere as she said. “I just wanted to try if I can do that”, she explained about her reasons for applying for the Youth Parliament. “I’m more the one who throws stones at the police and organises demonstrations and sits everywhere busy discussing human rights. I’m not very familiar with the official means and habits of politics and policy-making, but it attracted me. Already being able to walk around bare-footed in the ‘holy halls’ here after the Session is really something! It’s so difficult in Munich to live an alternative lifestyle. If you look different and hang out in the streets, people look at you like you have some kind of spreading disease, and sooner or later the police will carry you away. So I find it quite funny that I was able to participate and was even elected President of the Parliament!”
But Stella was not the only person striking the “normal” appearance of political life in Bavaria: As Head of the Board of European Identity a young man with Turkish background was elected. It is not only due to him and his German-Turkish friend with whom he runs the school newspaper in his hometown, that Turkey and the matter of the country’s entry into the European Union was discussed remarkably differently and relaxed. The young delegates explicitly devised in their blueprint of this part of the resolution that Turkey is culturally and historically seen no subject of discussion any more: “Europe and Turkey have been historically bound since ages. The Christian-Occidental traditions are not contradictory to Turkey’s accession, because the values and the idea of man for which the EU stands, are already also normal and basic for Turkey. Like many European states, Turkey is also a laical, social and democratic constitutional state. […] We suggest an intensified educational advertising in all European countries about Turkey, for example with a cultural or students’ exchange program. From studies and surveys we know that most people in the EU know next to nothing about Turkey. To avoid prejudices, European schools should broach this issue more.”
Originally, the blueprint of the resolution designed to set off the proceedings of the accession when Turkey is not willing to solve its problems with freedom of press, the Kurdish and Armenian questions and the acceptation of Cyprus. This suggestion was rejected by a large majority of the Youth Parliament with the justification that the EU is already helping Turkey through this process of democratisation and that the country will not be able to manage these questions once left alone.
During the Session there was also quite a lively debate on specific encouragement and aid for (working) women, quota arrangements in the job and children’s care regulated by law. So after the question of Turkey, the second remarkable thing about the Bavarian Youth Parliament’s Resolution is that most of the young delegates, especially the women among them, do not approve of these regulations by law and some don’t even see a need for them because they don’t feel discriminated against. Nevertheless they argued for a basis of standards that help avoiding and reducing discrimination against women on the job and which have the power to entail sanctions against companies.
The third remarkable fact about the Resolution can be found on the fields of the Corporate Security and Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. The delegates decided to establish a corporate EU Foreign Minister and an EU army. Further, they consider research and development more important than agriculture and therefore suggest to reduce the agricultural funding of the EU in favour of better funding for research and development which is in terms of the enlargement of the European Union more reasonable for them.
Last but not least the young Bavarians have not much faith in the existing institutions of the European Union. So they remodelled them. All in all the delegates want to strengthen the institutions: with a Parliament that has a President, with a State Chamber and with the possibility of a referendum when 3 Mio. signatures are received on a subject.
All these future politicians were surprised that they almost never had enough time to discuss and to formulate and that the knowledge in most of the topics discussed could have been larger. As I joined the second part of the Session, I personally must say that I was very impressed how serious and fast and professional the 87 young people acted. They handed the Resolution to the Representatives of the EU Commission in Germany, the European Board of the Bavarian Parliament and the President of the Bavarian Parliament. “This Resolution shall be blown in with new wind!” said Stella Schmid finally. Bavaria’s youth is more than ready for Europe: It is eager to really change things. Now it’s up to the current politicians in power to take up their declarations and suggestions. I hope that the EMYP develops the same or even a stronger spirit to push Europe forward!
The Munich Resolution (in German) can be tracked here.
It is quite ironic that the normally conservative dominated Bavarian Parliament was taken this weekend by more left-wing orientated young people who showed several views and approaches towards Europe that really differ in a refreshing way from political views that are normally disposed at the “Maximilianum” or enter common sense solutions in Bavaria in general. As President of the Parliament the young delegates voted for the red-haired, dreadlock-apparelled 18-year old Stella Schmid who lives an alternative lifestyle in Munich and just left her community in an ex-squatted house to live with her parents again for she wants to finish school and therefore needs a “less hectic” atmosphere as she said. “I just wanted to try if I can do that”, she explained about her reasons for applying for the Youth Parliament. “I’m more the one who throws stones at the police and organises demonstrations and sits everywhere busy discussing human rights. I’m not very familiar with the official means and habits of politics and policy-making, but it attracted me. Already being able to walk around bare-footed in the ‘holy halls’ here after the Session is really something! It’s so difficult in Munich to live an alternative lifestyle. If you look different and hang out in the streets, people look at you like you have some kind of spreading disease, and sooner or later the police will carry you away. So I find it quite funny that I was able to participate and was even elected President of the Parliament!”But Stella was not the only person striking the “normal” appearance of political life in Bavaria: As Head of the Board of European Identity a young man with Turkish background was elected. It is not only due to him and his German-Turkish friend with whom he runs the school newspaper in his hometown, that Turkey and the matter of the country’s entry into the European Union was discussed remarkably differently and relaxed. The young delegates explicitly devised in their blueprint of this part of the resolution that Turkey is culturally and historically seen no subject of discussion any more: “Europe and Turkey have been historically bound since ages. The Christian-Occidental traditions are not contradictory to Turkey’s accession, because the values and the idea of man for which the EU stands, are already also normal and basic for Turkey. Like many European states, Turkey is also a laical, social and democratic constitutional state. […] We suggest an intensified educational advertising in all European countries about Turkey, for example with a cultural or students’ exchange program. From studies and surveys we know that most people in the EU know next to nothing about Turkey. To avoid prejudices, European schools should broach this issue more.”
Originally, the blueprint of the resolution designed to set off the proceedings of the accession when Turkey is not willing to solve its problems with freedom of press, the Kurdish and Armenian questions and the acceptation of Cyprus. This suggestion was rejected by a large majority of the Youth Parliament with the justification that the EU is already helping Turkey through this process of democratisation and that the country will not be able to manage these questions once left alone.During the Session there was also quite a lively debate on specific encouragement and aid for (working) women, quota arrangements in the job and children’s care regulated by law. So after the question of Turkey, the second remarkable thing about the Bavarian Youth Parliament’s Resolution is that most of the young delegates, especially the women among them, do not approve of these regulations by law and some don’t even see a need for them because they don’t feel discriminated against. Nevertheless they argued for a basis of standards that help avoiding and reducing discrimination against women on the job and which have the power to entail sanctions against companies.
The third remarkable fact about the Resolution can be found on the fields of the Corporate Security and Foreign Policy and Economic Policy. The delegates decided to establish a corporate EU Foreign Minister and an EU army. Further, they consider research and development more important than agriculture and therefore suggest to reduce the agricultural funding of the EU in favour of better funding for research and development which is in terms of the enlargement of the European Union more reasonable for them.
Last but not least the young Bavarians have not much faith in the existing institutions of the European Union. So they remodelled them. All in all the delegates want to strengthen the institutions: with a Parliament that has a President, with a State Chamber and with the possibility of a referendum when 3 Mio. signatures are received on a subject.
All these future politicians were surprised that they almost never had enough time to discuss and to formulate and that the knowledge in most of the topics discussed could have been larger. As I joined the second part of the Session, I personally must say that I was very impressed how serious and fast and professional the 87 young people acted. They handed the Resolution to the Representatives of the EU Commission in Germany, the European Board of the Bavarian Parliament and the President of the Bavarian Parliament. “This Resolution shall be blown in with new wind!” said Stella Schmid finally. Bavaria’s youth is more than ready for Europe: It is eager to really change things. Now it’s up to the current politicians in power to take up their declarations and suggestions. I hope that the EMYP develops the same or even a stronger spirit to push Europe forward!The Munich Resolution (in German) can be tracked here.
newreads - 3. Apr, 16:16
