« Democracy is the major issue of our day »
Q : On 15 September, IPU will be celebrating the first International Day of Democracy as proclaimed by the UN. What are the main stakes involved?
Pier Ferdinando Casini :
This Day is important because democracy is the major issue of our day. Democracy is inextricably linked to the life of parliaments. A parliament has no raison d'être unless it is democratic, because if it is not democratically and pluralistically represented, if it does not represent different voices, cultures, ethnic groups, sensitivities and policies, it is nothing but an illusion. This 15 September should be an opportunity for us to reflect on how democratic life has evolved. It should also be a time to examine how parliamentary experience has been cemented throughout the world. Furthermore, we should state that peace and peaceful coexistence are insufficient because there can be no genuine democracy without freedom and without wide participation. In other words, there can be no real parliament without freedom.
Q : What can parliaments do to strengthen democracy?
P.F.C.: They are already doing a lot of things, such as promoting greater participation by women in political life. Several of our Member Parliaments have taken measures to ensure that the number of women representatives corresponds more to the actual demographics of the country, because women's representation in parliament is still weak in several countries, including - I must admit - in my country, Italy, where women are underrepresented at the legislative level. Things are also happening with regard to the decentralization of power. Direct democracy, referenda and other popular consultations are moreover being mainstreamed into the first and foremost of all acts of democratic delegation of power: the power of representation which the people delegate to parliament. In other words, let us say that between public opinion - the popular base - and the pinnacle of the State, parliament is the indispensable filter that must be able to hear the voice of the citizens. When parliament is in crisis, it is the very principle of democracy that is in crisis. When parliament does not function, when it is discredited or loses its legitimacy, it only serves to widen the communication gap between the citizens and their political representatives. It heralds the loss of confidence in the institutions we know today. That is why parliaments and parliamentarians must evolve and lead by example, including in matters of behaviour, ethical principles and morals. Parliaments must be in the vanguard of society and not be lagging behind or discredited by public opinion.
Q : What are the challenges facing democracy?
P.F.C.: Democracy must first of all face the challenges associated with human life, because human life is under threat today by underdevelopment and food shortages which are again posing a problem. New threats hang over the lives of children and the elderly. Human life is not only jeopardized by the consequences of war and the use of arms, but also by some kinds of research that sometimes know no limits, which manipulate individuals and seek to produce sophisticated forms of euthanasia. I would like to underscore that human life and dignity must remain at the centre of our concerns.
Q : What would you say to young people who are uninterested in politics and who are less and less involved in society?
P.F.C.: I would coin a phrase from an illustrious compatriot who has worked very hard to help underprivileged or abandoned youth. To those who would say that politics is dirty, he would reply: what would be the point of having clean hands if you keep them in your pockets? Like him, I say to young people that they should get their hands dirty with politics. Because the more politics becomes politicking, the further away it is from the people. Therefore, the more we work together to improve politics, the more open and transparent it will be.