Quinn calls for more democracy in EU

The leader of the Labour Party, Mr Ruairi Quinn, has called for the European Commission President to be democratically elected and for extra powers for the European Parliament.

In a speech to the fourth congress of the Party of European Socialists in Milan on Tuesday, Mr Quinn joined the Fine Gael leader, Mr John Bruton, in giving urgent priority to the democratic reform of the EU. The congress, which was attended by the leaders of 10 EU governments, agreed to a common manifesto.

Mr Quinn said they had to move "to completing the internal democracy" of EU institutions and set "the target of ensuring that the successor to the next President of the European Union will have a real and genuine democratic mandate". The move to greater accountability "inevitably leads to the transfer of more powers to the European Parliament", balanced by reinforcing the Council of Ministers' role, he argued.

Mr Quinn urged the articulation of a global policy response to the growth of the global economy. "It has become clear that the global market economy needs a framework of regulation, democratic accountability and social responsibility if it is to function in the interests of all of its citizens."