Participative Democracy<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

From the point of view of ‘civil society’, the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Europe under construction today is a dream in a part of the world where people and nations have waged war for territory or for religious and economic reasons. It is remarkable to point out that for the first time the Member States in the European Union (EU) are enjoying fifty years of peace.

An interesting development of the democratic process in the European Union is related to ‘participative democracy’. The Union recognises organisations representing civil society as its permanent partners, in such a way that all citizens and all representative organisations have the right to formulate and make public their opinions in areas of the Union's competence. This is a unique opportunity to promote humanism and laïcité in the EU. Taking advantage of this the EHF communicated its vision to the Convention and at hearings for the Constitutional Treaty on many subjects, in particular on science and society, public services, participative democracy, sustainable development, and also on neutrality of the European Institutions with respect to the convictions of all citizens. (for details visit EHF website  www.humanism.be).

Article 51

Unfortunately, the intensive lobbying of the Vatican and it’s co-workers was successful in introducing article 52 (ex 51) allowing the Churches to establish a pre-legislative consultation procedure by means of regular dialogue seminars with the European Institutions. This is one of the main reasons why humanists are divided on the opportunity to accept or to reject the Constitutional Treaty. Taking this situation into account, the Board of EHF had published in December 2004 its position concerning the decision to be taken on the Treaty.

EHF Statement

All 25 member States in the EU have to take a position with respect to the Constitutional Treaty signed last October 2004 by the heads of government.

The EHF Board is of the opinion that the most important and interesting attitude as a Humanist association is to promote the debate amongst our member organisations and their individual members.

According to this and considering that EHF is not a political party, nor a Church giving instruction to its faithful, the role of EHF is to campaign neither in favour, nor against ratification.

Humanism and laïcité require freedom of thinking for individuals. In this respect, it is particularly important that everybody examines the general perspectives offered by the new Treaty, without focusing too much only on one or two specific items.

A Constitutional Treaty is an important step as regards citizenship and involves many subjects. It is quite clear that everybody cannot be satisfied on all these many topics. As an example, humanists and laïques but also many religious groups disagree with article 52 (ex 51) giving the possibility to some churches to intervene in the preparation of political decisions, but Christian Churches are disappointed at not having obtained in the preamble of the Treaty any reference to a ‘Christian heritage’.

But humanism and laïcité are not strictly limited to religious interventions in public life but more generally have also deep concerns for freedom of conscience (which involves freedom of religion) and fight for democracy and citizenship and also for the separation between Churches and State.

During the Convention ‘For the future of Europe’ and throughout the preparation of the Treaty, EHF and its

members, together with many other associations of civil society, were very active in fighting against the privileges of the Churches and in favour of democracy and citizenship. Now it is too late to ask for any immediate modification of the Treaty.

EHF Board considers time is now for debates and finally for a personal decision as independent and responsible citizens.

Georges Lienard is Secretary General of the European

Humanist Federation