Symposium on the future of democratic institutions in Europe
- Author(s):
- Parliamentary Assembly
- Origin
- Text adopted by the Standing Committee, acting on behalf of the Assembly, on 3 July 1974.See Doc. 3444, report of the Legal Affairs Committee.
The Assembly,
1. Reaffirming its attachment to the principles of democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law, respect for which is the principal statutory duty of all member states of the Council of Europe ;
2. Convinced that the Council of Europe fulfils its essential and eminently political mission as guardian of democracy in Europe ;
3. Considering that traditional parliamentary democracy appears to be experiencing a crisis in most member states of the Council of Europe ;
4. Considering in particular that parliaments are encountering increasing difficulty in the exercise of their legislative powers and their powers of control in regard to the executive ;
5. Concerned about the future of democracy and democratic institutions in Europe ;
6. Considering the necessity of adapting democratic institutions to the needs of modern society ;
7. Taking into account the discussion at the Colloquy on "Science and the decision-making machinery of society", held in Strasbourg in September 1973 on the initiative of its Committee on Science and Technology, which showed the need for adapting parliamentary and governmental structures to the exigencies of modern technological society,
8. Resolves :
a to convene a symposium on the future of democratic institutions in Europe particularly with regard to the control of the executive in parliamentary democracies, and to invite to that symposium leading politicians as well as experts in constitutional law, sociology and political science ;
b to instruct its Legal Affairs Committee to organise such a symposium, in close collaboration with the Political Affairs Committee, the Committee on Culture and Education and the Committee on Science and Technology, and submit a report on the conclusions of the symposium.
