than what exists on the European scale – also form a logical extension of the European Monetary Union1.
eral parliament, able to overcome our differences to propose new solutions together.
Federal districts to debate a common future
Almost since their inception, Belgian environmentalists have advocated the creation of a federal district from which part of the Belgian federal parliament would be elected. They would then be better able to build the joint common federal project that we need to renew in Belgium, based on a frank and open discussion of what we wish the country to become in the 21st century in an ever more federal Europe. The Ecolo party in Wallonia pursues the same goal at the Wallonian level where the greens, with certain other progressives, advocate a Wallonian constituency, more conducive to the production of an overall vision for the future of Wallonia than the current system, which leaves far too much room for sub-localism and egoism.
The second principle is based upon a reflection about how to best live together within the federal project. What feelings does this project evoke in the entities that form it? And what is the defined project overall? Who defines it? How? It is essential that each entity finds its own specific place in the federation. Where the power of the components is based upon an identity of rejection and of defiance, we can legitimately fear the emergence of separatist impulses. Binding, here, is very important. Work and the division of labour between the different components, but perhaps the different political parties is essential. This is what takes place at the Belgian level, with the two parties, Ecolo and Groen!, which are the only Belgian political Similarly, at the European level, environmentalists are parties to have formed a common group in the fedfighting for a portion of the Members of the European Parliament to be elected from a common district, 1 Agenda 2010, A model for Europe, Phillippe Van Parijs, from Sweden to Italy and from Ireland to Poland. They Green European Journal
GEJ paper 2013_6.indb 74
27/07/13 19:15