Protecting the pillars of democracy during health crises

Motion for a resolution | Doc. 15176 | 02 November 2020

Signatories:

Ms Marietta KARAMANLI, France, SOC ; Ms Sibel ARSLAN, Switzerland, SOC ; Ms Doris BARNETT, Germany, SOC ; Mr Fourat BEN CHIKHA, Belgium, SOC ; Dame Cheryl GILLAN, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Mr Dimitar GLAVCHEV, Bulgaria, EPP/CD ; Mr Christophe LACROIX, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Carmen LEYTE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Ian LIDDELL-GRAINGER, United Kingdom, EC/DA ; Ms Alexandra LOUIS, France, ALDE ; Ms Yuliya LOVOCHKINA, Ukraine, SOC ; Baroness Doreen MASSEY, United Kingdom, SOC ; Mr Oleksandr MEREZHKO, Ukraine, SOC ; Mr George PAPANDREOU, Greece, SOC ; Mr Paulo PISCO, Portugal, SOC ; Mr Aleksander POCIEJ, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Gonzalo ROBLES, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Stefan SCHENNACH, Austria, SOC ; Ms Ingjerd SCHOU, Norway, EPP/CD ; Mr André VALLINI, France, SOC

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Covid-19 pandemic, which is far from being overcome, has radically changed the lives of our citizens and the functioning of our democratic institutions, including the Parliamentary Assembly. The effects of the crisis will likely be felt for years to come.

The Assembly should continue to closely monitor the impact of the current health crisis, and of any future crises, on the pillars of the democratic system, particularly the functioning of parliaments and elections during emergency situations.

Where the functioning of parliaments is concerned, the Assembly should strive, in close collaboration with national delegations, to pool good practices for the exercise of parliamentary supervision of government action to deal with the crisis.

It should also give further thought to the means of guaranteeing that the political process, of which democratic elections are the culmination, can continue uninterrupted during health emergencies, while ensuring that citizens' health is protected.

The Assembly should examine these two key aspects of the functioning of democracy as a priority, as a follow-up to the debate on "Democracies facing the Covid-19 pandemic".