European Council Political Groups Act 2016
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EUROPEAN COUNCIL POLITICAL GROUPS ACT
Proposed by Angleter :: Passed (10-0), January 28th, 2016 :: As amended by Cllr. Edward Firoux (7-1) (Inquista), April 10th, 2020; by Cllr. Iras Tilkanas (Istkalen) (4-0), 15 July 2023
SECTION I. DEFINITIONS
- For the purposes of this Act, ‘Europarties’ are defined as region-wide alliances of national political parties
SECTION II. POLITICAL GROUPS
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European Councillors are hereby allowed to form, disband, join, and leave official Political Groups based on a common ideological affinity.
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These Political Groups are funded by the European Council and will operate under the jurisdiction of the Speaker’s Office.
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These Political Groups are established to serve as a means by which like-minded Councillors can formulate ideas, and rally support for, or opposition to, proposals.
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In addition to activity related to the European Council, Political Groups may endorse, and campaign for, current candidates in elections to the European Commission, or in national elections to the European Council.
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This Act does not impinge upon the right of member-states to appoint or dismiss their Councillor as they see fit; nor their right to direct or act upon their Councillor’s votes, speech, or Political Group membership in the European Council/
SECTION III. MEMBERSHIP OF POLITICAL GROUPS
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Membership of Political Groups is restricted to individual European Councillors.
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Associate Membership is restricted to European Commissioners, and current candidates in elections to the European Commission or in national elections to the European Council.
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Associate Members may not vote on the Political Group’s internal decisions.
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No Councillor may be a member of more than one Political Group at a time.
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No Commissioner or candidate may be an Associate Member of more than one Political Group at a time.
SECTION IV. ORGANISATION OF POLITICAL GROUPS
- Each Political Group must have a Chairman, who must themselves be a European Councillor
2.Political Groups are free to decide for themselves the specific terms of the Chairman’s election or appointment, term in office, and oversight from the Political Group’s membership.
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In the event of a Chairman’s resignation or removal from office, the Political Group must elect or appoint a new Chairman within fourteen days.
a. Political Groups are free to elect or appoint a member to serve as Chairman in such circumstances before such an event occurs. -
A Chairman may be removed from office by the Speaker if they leave the European Council, or if the Speaker deems them to have been neglecting their duties as a Councillor and/or as Chairman.
a. The European Council may, by a supermajority vote, overrule the removal of a Chairman on the grounds of their neglecting their position. -
Political Groups may take internal decisions either by an executive decision of the Chairman, or by a majority vote of its members, or both; and are under no obligation to use the same system in all circumstances
a. Political Groups must decide by majority vote within a month of their foundation which system they will use in which circumstances.
SECTION V. ESTABLISHING AND DISSOLVING POLITICAL GROUPS
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Any and all applications to establish a Political Group are subject to the approval of the Speaker of the European Council.
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Applications to establish a Political Group must include the following to be considered for approval:
a. A name for the Political Group;
b. The names of two or more European Councillors founding the Political Group, including a designated Chairman;
c. A short summary of the common ideological basis of the Political Group. -
Councillors are obliged to inform the Speaker and the Political Groups involved if they are joining or leaving the Council, or if they are switching from one Political Group to another.
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The Speaker is obliged to dissolve a Political Group in the following events:
a. The Political Group is reduced to fewer than two members and does not resolve this situation within fourteen days;
b. The Political Group’s Chairman, with the consent of a majority of its membership, requests its dissolution;
c. The Political Group fails to fulfil the duties laid out in subsection IV(3) or paragraph IV(5)(a);
d. The Political Group is found guilty by the European Court of Justice of breaking the terms of the Constitution, or this or any other Act.
SECTION VI. IMPLICATIONS FOR EUROPARTIES
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The European Council, and in particular the Speaker’s Office, ceases to recognise Europarties, and any and all Councillors’ identifying with them.
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Europarties are encouraged to dissolve themselves and, where possible, convert themselves into Political Groups.