ABSTRACT: On the threshold of the year 2000, the main political issue is whether the federalist system is still valid and strong enough to help to resolve the political, economical, social and cultural problems that the world finds itself having to deal with, and if this system is still feasible for certain countries, like those of the former Soviet Union and former Yugoslavia, which have recently emerged from a Communist stranglehold.

----------------------------------------------

In recent years, when there was an increased tendency towards creating supranational federalist groups comprising a number of countries, and regional and local federalist structures, the fall of Communism made it very doubtful that this type of system could be re-proposed for the Balkan countries, and those of Central and Eastern Europe.

It is not, however, the federalist concept that doesn't work - the concept born 200 years ago with the constitution of the United States of America - but the way in which it has been exploited by the Communist regime.

The federalist choice - which the Radical Party opted for when it was first formed and which will be one of the major issues in the debate which will take place concerning the drawing up of a new Statute for the transnational Party - stems from the conviction that there is no other democratic alternative if we wish to reorganize political, social and cultural life today, in such a way that it starts with the individual and his rights to create a new world order.

(THE PARTY new - N. 7 - May 1992)

Two different positions emerged in the debate held during the first session of the XXXVI Radical Party Congress.

On the one hand, the delegates from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe, and the Balkans, who expressed a strong doubt concerning the viability of federalism, following the way in which it had been applied in their own countries for years, were in favour of other political systems - mainly capable of settling the "local" conflicts and wars - based principally on a dialogue between the two sides and diplomatic missions undertaken by international institutions, in which the Radical Party would play an important part as regards transmitting information and undertaking political action. On the other hand, the delegates from the Eastern bloc countries were in favour of federalism - as the true federalism that was first introduced in the United States of America two centuries ago has never been applied in the Soviet Union or Yugoslavia - because only a federal system, applied to a group of countries, and to their internal structure, can provide the answer to "local" conflicts by overcoming political and ec

onomic barriers with the creation of new "regional" unions, in order to be in a position to deal with current world problems.

Creating a federal system is certainly not easy, as the history of the European Community, which has still not been able to replace its intergovernmental system after forty years, demonstrates.

Apropos of this, a number of delegates reflected upon the future of the Community. Something many countries are interested in, especially those which have recently won their freedom. The Community must start by condemning the intergovernmental system supported at the recent Maastricht Summit and rapidly strengthen its political and institutional structure, if it is to expand successfully and operate in the interests of the above countries. This can only be achieved by using the constituent method, that is, the writing of a new constitutional Charter by a democratic body, acting as an extension of the European people, which adheres to previously defined procedures and respects strict deadlines.

Many delegates spoke about the dramatic situations that exist in the former Communist Republics, and these were corroborated by first-hand accounts of the violation of the political and civil rights of ethnic or religious minority groups, and also of individuals. They told of equally dramatic situations that exist in many African countries. Many speakers also condemned Europe's inability to formulate a foreign policy and its remaining faithful to the concept of intergovernmental realpolitic, not wanting to know or understand the importance of the problems which have come to light.

After negative situations had been exposed and ideas had been discussed at length a number of proposals were formulated, such as requesting the transnational Radical Party to intervene and inform the public about "local" situations; soliciting the enforcement of international agreements; exposing the ambiguous attitude of Eastern governments and institutions which tend to minimize the "local" conflicts; writing an appeal for the reduction or destruction of nuclear armaments, and presenting it to all nuclear powers. The limited financial and human resources available necessitate our making certain choices and, unfortunately, we have to sacrifice those proposals that we are not in a position to realize.

Many speakers proposed holding an "Interparliamentary Conference" in one of the Central or Eastern European cities. This idea was put forward in the report read by Sergio Stanzani, the First Secretary of the Radical Party, and it was also referred to in the Appeal for a Federal Europe that was signed by many Czechoslovakian parliamentarians on the eve of the elections held on 5 June this year.

The nature, structure and agenda of such a conference - which should be organized on the lines of the first important post-war federalist meeting, held in the Hague in 1948 and attended by members of parliament, members of government and various federalist organizations - still have to be decided upon, and one of the first things we have to resolve is whether parliamentarians from European Community countries should be invited.

Other proposals could also be examined during the conference, such as the formation of "Federalist Parliamentary Intergroups" and the creation of "Standing Committees" to explore the transnational aspects of economic policy as applied to East-West and North-South relations, following the collapse of the state economy system and the crisis that currently besets the capitalist system. This could also give us a real opportunity to discuss the possible application of federalism, and to explore its political, economic and cultural aspects in depth.

Lastly, the effect that the Conference would have on the political world and voting public might possibly give us the opportunity to lay the foundations for a "European Federalist Movement in Central and Eastern Europe, and the Balkans", capable of creating new democratic "regional" unions born of the people's will.