Campaign for a
United Nations Parliamentary Assembly

unpacampaign.org

An international campaign to establish a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. Such an assembly would give popularly elected representatives a formal role in global affairs.

As an additional body to the UN, the assembly will directly represent the world’s citizens – not governments. As such, it would be complementary to the current principal organs of the UN – i.e. the Security Council, General Assembly (UNGA) and Economic and Social Council where the members (who make the decisions) are governments, and the International Court of Justice where the members are judges elected by the Security Council and UNGA.

The establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations has become an indispensable step to achieve democratic control of globalization. Complementary to international democracy among states, which no less has to be developed, it would foster global democracy beyond states, giving the citizens a genuine voice in world affairs.
Boutros-Boutros Ghali
Former United Nations Secretary-General. UN Photo / Michos Tzovaras.

In the beginning, UN Member States could choose whether their UNPA members would come from national parliaments, reflecting their political spectrum and gender equality, or whether they would be directly elected through national elections. Eventually, the goal is to have all members directly elected through a global vote.

Starting as a largely consultative body, the rights and powers of the UNPA could be expanded over time as its democratic legitimacy increases. The assembly will act as an independent watchdog in the UN system and as a democratic reflection of the diversity of world public opinion.

In the long run, once its members are all democratically elected, the assembly could be developed into a world parliament which – under certain conditions and in conjunction with the UN General Assembly – may be able to adopt universally binding regulations and law.

Faced with the globalization of economy and finance, the mounting imbalance in the distribution of wealth, or asymmetric threats to international security, the answer that is provided by the cooperation of nation-states is often no longer enough. That's why I support the establishment of a UN Parliamentary Assembly.
Federica Mogherini
Former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. Wikimedia / Union Europea En Perù.

Campaign host

The campaign’s international action and strategy is coordinated by Democracy Without Borders. 

International Appeal

Supporters can endorse the Appeal for the establishment of a Parliamentary Assembly at the United Nations.

The United Nations needs to open its doors to elected representatives. The best way to achieve this is the creation of a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly that would complement the General Assembly where the governments come together. I've been supporting this goal for a long time and congratulate the international campaign on its sustained efforts to make this a reality.
Shashi Tharoor
Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) and Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on External Affairs, India. Former UN Under-Secretary-General for Public Affairs.

More information

For more information visit www.unpacampaign.org.