German Bundestag, Plenarprotokoll 20/54,
pp. 5928-5929.
Frau President. Ladies and gentlemen.
We today debate the law to amend the European citizens
initiative by which themes can be brought to the EU Commission without the EU
Commission being obligated to become substantially active therein. Understand:
This toothless tiger is to give the EU a democratic coating. It is nothing more
than a simulation of democracy in an undemocratic EU.
Were the EU a state which proposed its acceptance to the EU,
the motion would need to be rejected – due to a lack of democratic substance.
Martin Schulz, formerly here with the SPD, then still
President of the EU Parliament, said that. Herr Schulz quite correctly acknowledged:
A parliament without a right of initiative, a parliament with restricted
budgetary rights, based on an election law which violates the fundamental of
election freedom, is in fact lacking in democratic substance.
To that pertain political discussions without a common
public as a sounding board and a state power without a homogenous state people.
That is rule almost without accountability. That is the dream of every
technocrat. And a strengthening of the European citizens initiative would not
contribute a solution to this problem. On the contrary: Every strengthening of
the EU leads to a weakening of the national states. Yet only on the national
level can democracy be earnestly lived. What we really need here is the
introduction of direct democracy at the Federal level in Germany.
Right honorable colleagues, if you want to promote elements
of direct democracy, then begin that here. Say yes to referendums on all questions
concerning the national sovereignty. Say yes to referendums on amendments of
the Basic Law. Say yes to the facultative referendum which gives to the
citizens the opportunity to bring to a vote laws decided on by the parliament.
In Switzerland especially, these instruments have been absolutely preserved.
These are all points which we for years demand, which you however, out of fear
of the sovereign, the German people, reject.
We of the AfD do not want that Germany be governed from
Brussels and in that regard we hold that foreign citizens demands with effect,
via the Commission, in Germany are fundamentally wrong. We therefore reject
this draft law.
Thank you.
[trans: tem]
