Change the mindset . In this respect, we need to recognise that the EU is a political construction. Once political union is recognised, democratisation is therefore not only thinkable, but compelling. . We need to admit that the European legislative elections do not constitute a truly democratic validation of our continent's great political guidelines: no real European debate was ever born of this conglomerate of national elections. In recognising this, the EU has the right to develop something more convincing than this in terms of European democracy. . Regarding referendums: we must stop asking citizens if they are for or against Europe. The European construction has been underway for 60 years now. A fish cannot be asked whether he likes water or not without going crazy and suicidal!

Give ‘European oxygen’ to the continent's political debates Instead, it is high time we ask Europeans what they would like Europe to do for them: . How could Europe allow a return to social peace in EU countries? . How could Europe help rebuild the capacity for financing infrastructure, hospitals, and schools ... what used to be the pride of our continent? . How could Europe revive economics in a way that is beneficial for all Europeans? . How could Europe accelerate energy transition and invent new sustainable business models? . How could Europe define, once and for all, its boundaries and make them protective, without running the risk of becoming a fortress? . How could Europe soothe its relations with neighbours such as Russia, Turkey, US ... without giving way to any of them? . How could Europe positively contribute to a decrease in the huge global geo-political tensions? …

Ask European citizens European questions
As in any democracy, the conditions must be gathered for different views to be expressed and citizens to be able to choose. Democracy is not a yes-no language. By admitting this, the conditions of a real constructive and enriching debate can be employed, a debate enriching citizens ... and their leaders, a debate reversing the current movement. A "European democratic blow", is ‘simply’ a European election, a real one, in which visions of Europe are confronted - instead of agendas of constituent states national parties - an election inviting citizens from different countries to a common debate and appointment (single constituency, trans-European lists and programmes represented by multinational teams, joint campaign, identical vote weights).

Sweep any objection: "It always seems impossible until it's done"
If you want to do it, you will find a way to. Will the 28 states not be able to agree on such a project? If just a few central countries agreed on this, it would generate a healthy momentum for a trans-European debate. Others will join the initiative. After all, the EU is an area of enhanced cooperation ... why not in the field of democratisation as well? Are the treaties stopping you from acting? In this case, the treaties are traitors that must be bypassed. The National-Europeists will soon take charge of these treaties anyway. And no one will mourn the deadly "treatocracy", created to address the lack of vibrant political governance in the EU. Are there no political parties ready to compete in a trans-European election? The only way to encourage the trans-European movements the continent needs for its democratisation, is by launching a trans-European election. Three decades of Erasmus generations have long since been ready to organise such an election. Don't you trust the European citizens who risk giving a "bad" vote? The citizens are not bad-voters, it’s the questions they are asked which are bad. It is time to ask Europeans open European questions instead of asking French, Germans, Italians ... closed European questions. This will make the difference. Isn't there anything or anyone to elect in the EU? Why not ask us to vote for Euroland leaders? We number 300 million, indissolubly bound (as proven recently by events in Greece) by our common currency, this common ‘sovereign’. Is there any better launch pad for a political and democratic union of our continent?

You will be in history books ... but which door will you choose to enter those books?
Adverse forces are currently striving to take control of the continent. It is in the midst of this fatal danger that you must find the strength and the will to usher in the final stage of European integrationits democratisation. This democratisation must deliver into the hands of its ultimate beneficiaries - the European citizens - the technocratic machine which National-European governments are currently trying to seize. Give us the election we need and we will give the best of ourselves! Be the first to take up the challenge of the invention of transnational democracy, which the world desperately needs in order to revert its fall into nightmare.

Sincerely yours,

Collectively signed by the Franck Biancheri Network https://www.leap2020.net