played their part . However , the conference conclusions , the proposals from citizens , still have to be put into practice . Many of them are linked to the major challenge that young people identified in the EurHope consultation : institutions .
In 2022 , we marched for Europe in Strasbourg with hundreds of young people to ask for the Conference proposals to become reality . However , they have yet to be implemented . Citizens ’ panels , citizens ’ agoras and other similar mechanisms are seen as a bridge between two elections . While participative democracy is very important , asking what people want without delivering it risks doing more harm than not asking at all outside of the elections . Listening to citizens means not only passively hearing what they have to say but also actively listening , to answer their requests . 2024 is yet another occasion to answer them , but for this to happen , we citizens need to be loud and clear .
The direct election of the European Parliament was a major victory for the federalists . Over the course of 10 elections , progress has been made and the European Parliament is more powerful now than the appointed assembly it was at the beginning of the European construction . The European Union is more democratic and closer to a federation than when it was founded . Still , a lot of work is needed to make European elections truly European and the European Union fully democratic .
European parties have to take the wheel and engage proactively with citizens ’ priorities . While they are taking their time to emerge as political forces , they are critical in making European elections transcend national debates and in ensuring that the European elections are truly European . Their emergence and role was already the key demand of JEF for the first 1979 campaign . The demand for transnational lists remains today . Although Parliament has voted in
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