https://diem25.org/diem25-to-form-europes-first-transnational-political-party/
Comments from unofficial DiEM25 facebook group:
TM: I do not see any question like “Should DiEM25 become a political party?” anywhere to be answered. Pity because this article treats the question almost as a fait accomplì, with membership to discuss only the blueprint for it.
RT: https://www.diem25.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=176 There has been an ongoing discussion about it for months on DiEM’s forum.
TM: Of course there was. What I meant was: when and where have we been voting about such a fundamental decision?
WH: A pan-European party is a divisive proposal which provides an incentive for the far right to set themselves similar objectives and so perpetuate one of Europe’s main problems. An alternative European citizens’ assembly which places party membership in the same category as religion, totally bypasses and boycotts the media and mediated communication and sets itself the objective of competing for a mandate through a periodic referendum, would not have this disadvantage. People who want the pan-European party could proceed with their idea and continue to seek further powers for the existing European Parliament. But it should not be DiEM’s only strategic objective. Also, a new European constitution cannot be achieved within the logic of political party wheeling and dealing, unless it is supported by the existing supra-party elite, which would mean more of the same as what we (“we” meaning European citizens) already have.
TM: Not totally with you. Your idea is very romantic and somehow appealing, but it worked practically only in the old time “fueros” of the Basque people or in the “magnifiche comunità” of North East Italy or, in modern times, in some smaller Swiss Cantons. The matter here, to me, is the fact that becoming a party is a decision everybody should be able to vote about. That’s all.
WH: OK, Good luck in securing that. I support it, of course. The counter-proposal I made is a coherent alternative perspective and does not preclude working on a pan-European party, for those want to do that. What will you do, though, if DiEM25 proceeds with the idea of the pan-European party without inviting you to vote for or against the proposal?
And another thing: when you don’t make it clear whether you are for against the idea of a pan-European party at the centre of DiEM’s strategy but merely insist that there should be a vote………..What happens if you lose the vote?
