EU must give 'credibility' to democratic self-determination

European citizens cannot be stripped of EU citizenship for 'exercising right of self-determination', argues Mark Demesmaeker.

By Mark Demesmaeker MEP

29 Apr 2014

We live in exciting times. In several European countries, citizens, movements and political parties are acting for self-determination, be it autonomy or independence. In essence, the right for self-determination means that a nation can decide its own future.

The developments in Scotland, Catalonia, the Basque country, Flanders and other stateless nations are natural processes. The exercise of the right for self-determination can lead to different results; from reform within a state to the creation of new states. Europe can play a very valuable role here, but deliberately chooses not to do so. The attitude of European institutions and their leaders in particular, is highly disappointing. European commission president José Manuel Barroso, council president Herman Van Rompuy and others are doing everything to thwart the democratic processes in Catalonia and Scotland. They propagate fear and anxiety to assert that there is no place for new states from within the EU.

"The simple question then is this: how can nations that have been part of the EU for decades suddenly fall outside the EU because their people opt for what they think is best for them?"

The simple question then is this: how can nations that have been part of the EU for decades suddenly fall outside the EU because their people opt for what they think is best for them? How can their citizens all of a sudden be stripped of their European citizenship? To these questions, Barroso and Van Rompuy have given me no legal answer at all, despite having asked them on several occasions to provide one. For the sake of stability, they propagate nonsense.

The EU is based on the principles of democracy and freedom, and therefore can no longer ignore these peaceful developments. To decide otherwise would undermine the credibility of the millions of citizens who choose self-determination, democracy and European commitment.