World Parliament

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the problems that now face the peoples of the world cannot be resolved through individual parliamentary systems alone. Even larger political structures such as the European Union (EU) and the African Union (AU) are insufficient to truly face the issues such as over fishing, climate change and the deterioration of natural resources. The United Nations (UN) is the organisation that currently attempts to keep international law and peace, however it has many fundamental flaws, which is why it must be replaced. Firstly, it works in the favour of larger nations and those who have global military and economic influence. The system of having a Security Council with the leading world powers having more authority then others completely degrades any attempts at democracy or fairness within the international political system. The UN also fails to have any real authority, as it is not directly elected. This means it fails to have any significant rights to punish or enforce any solutions that may arise to the major issues we must face.

The solutions to the problems that have been listed above lie in the concept of a World Parliament (WP). To get to a stage of having unified global policies on certain issues is not something that is possible in the short term, however steps are already being taken in the right direction. The European Union is an example of governments joining together to face problems that affect them all. The issues with the EU’s economic policies are irrelevant, as the WP would have no economic control. However, for issues such as fishing policies, air pollution and sustainable energy the EU has been relatively successful. For a World Parliament to be established, versions of the EU would have to be created across the globe. The split would have to be debated within countries and certain issues must be resolved. For example, would Israel be able to join a local union? If not, could they join the European Union? The idea of creating a WP relies on international cooperation for this each country must feel free to join the union which best resembles their common needs. The lists below are simply suggestions, North Africans may feel more inclined to unify with the rest of Africa rather then West Asia. Central American countries may feel more connected to South America rather then North. Creating these unions is way of creating a small number of areas that are not simply based on standard continent borders but political and economic connections with neighbouring countries.

The countries of the world could be split into seven different unions, above is an example of these seven unions. The European Union (EU) could include all the current members of the EU with the additions of Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Armenia, Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Croatia, Montenegro and Switzerland. The North American Union (NAU) could include America, Canada, Greenland, Mexico, the Central American states down to Panama and the Caribbean Islands. The South American Union (SAU) could include all countries below Panama on the South American continent. The African Union (AU) could include all of sub-Saharan Africa. From Western Sahara, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Chad, Sudan and Eritrea to South Africa and Madagascar. It could also include the islands in the Indian Ocean such as Mauritius and Seychelles. The North African and West Asian Union (NAWAU) could include the North African countries, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya and Egypt. It could also include the West Asian countries, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Yemen, Oman, Iraq, Afghanistan, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and possibly Israel.  The East Asian Union (EAU) could stretch from Pakistan, Mongolia, China and Japan, down to Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. The Southeast Asian, Oceanic and Australian Union (SAOAU) could include all of Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippians, East Timor, Papa New Guinea, Australia and New Zealand.  

The creation of these seven (or more) unions is not something that is currently a realistic goal, local disputes and a lack of international consensus would halt the formation of a WP. However, the major world issues that are being caused by a constantly expanding population will eventually become within the national interests of all countries. Infrastructure for a WP should be developed until then to make the transition from the UN to the WP as smooth as possible. This should include the encouragement of more unions to be set up and a strong international pressure group lobbying governments for the creation of a World Parliament.

Each union would become an individual political institution, similar to the EU. The union would split their population in to groups of around 1 million, creating constituencies. Each constituency would vote for a Member of a Union Parliament (MUP). Countries with less then 1 million citizens should join with local countries or sections of local countries and political parties should attempt to create pacts or coalitions with those of similar political persuasions in the adjoining country. MUPs will then sit in the House of Union Representatives (HUR), which will debate and vote upon local and regional issues that affect the union, such as local fishing disputes, long-range transport and local trade. Union parliaments will also consist of a House of Union Appointees (HUA).  Each national government chooses one person to represent their views in the HUA, who would be referred to as a Union Appointee (UA). UAs will further debate and ratify the motions put forward by the HUP. The final element to the structure of each union is the election of a Union President (UP). The nations of the union would be put in to an alphabetical list, each election year the country of origin of the UP changes. For example, if it were the NAU, America would be the first country on the list, citizens of that nation would then put themselves forward and be voted on by the rest of the union. This single state system takes away the ability of larger nations to constantly have a UP from their country. UPs would then be the figurehead of each union and be a member of ‘The Seven’ in the WP.

The World Parliament would be run in a similar way to Union Parliaments. It would also be a three-tier system headed by ‘The Seven’, which are the seven UPs. ‘The Seven’ work in a similar way to a cabinet, putting forward proposals for international law, regulation or action. The second tier would be the House of World Representatives (HWR). The union constituencies would be grouped in to tens, which would be named ‘units’. Each unit would elect a Member of the World Parliament (MWP), similarly to in constituent votes, in units that expand over multiple countries, parties should seek pacts or treaties with similar parties in the other nations. With the population standing at about 7 billion, in this system there would be about 700 MWPs sitting in the HWR. The final tier to the WP would be the House of World Appointees (HWA). Similarly to the HUA, each government would appoint one person to represent their beliefs in the HWA and the house would debate and ratify the policies that have come through ‘The Seven’ and the HWR.

The World Parliament would absorb the majority of the jurisdiction of the United Nations but also has the ability to gain some from the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organisation and also the World Bank. This would give the opportunity for these previously unelected entities to become fully democratic bodies working for the good of the international community. The three-tier system and the multitude of political parties from around the world would ensure that there was not one political group that could control the whole WP. Rules to reinforce this could also be applied which would restrict the ability to create political alliances or have the World Appointees (WA) as permanent positions, speaking for the country not the political party that currently runs the country.

The issue also arises of non-democratic nations and their ability to hold free elections. Countries such as China are likely to put forward unfairly elected Communist politicians in all roles. However, matters such as this and other human rights abuses can be more pragmatically resolved within the confines of the infrastructure of an institution such as the WP. The parliament should have the ability to take a country out of the structure but this should be a last resort. All means and mediums should be used to change the behaviour of states that disregard international law before resorting to exclusion.

A World Parliament made up of seven Unions and seven Union Presidents may be a long term goal, but the threats which face us can only be dealt with on an international basis and eventually a system similar to this will have to be put into place to ensure the future of humanity and the welfare of the Earth.

Glossary

AU: African Union

EAU: East Asian Union

EU: European Union

HUA: House of Union Appointees

HUR: House of Union Representatives

HWA: House of World Appointees

HWR: House of World Representatives

MUP: Member of Union Parliament

MWP: Member of World Parliament

NAU: North American Union

NAWAU: North African and West Asian Union

SAOAU: Southeast Asian, Oceanic and Australian Union

SAU: South American Union

UA: Union Appointee

UP: Union President

WA: World Appointee

WP: World Parliament