Event report

On 16 October, in Piazza della Vittoria in the centre of Pavia, about twenty European federalists, half of whom were young, interviewed passers-by near the gazebo entitled to the Conference on the Future of Europe. About a thousand leaflets were distributed and 192 people (mostly young people, students, teachers and representatives of the political forces of the territory) agreed to fill out a questionnaire on the main themes of the Conference, stopping to deepen and ask for clarifications also about the purpose of the Conference and how to access the platform. The questionnaire included six questions concerning the competences of the Union, the protection of rights, the sources of funding, the right of veto and the role of the European Parliament. 97 % of respondents call for a Europe capable of acting together in some areas and that the competences of the Union should therefore be strengthened. 87 % of respondents would need a greater role for the European Parliament and overcoming the right of veto in the Council. 79 % of respondents consider it necessary to finance the EU budget autonomously from the contribution of the States, following the example of the Next Generation EU, by giving the European Parliament control over it. On the fourth question, the majority of respondents put I DO NOT. On the fifth question, 86 % replied that the rule of law cannot be negotiated. With regard to the sixth question, 76 % believe that some countries should not block those countries that would like to move towards an ever closer union. The questionnaire also called for three priorities to be identified among the topics covered by the Conference. In this respect, the results highlighted in the order: — the issue of democracy (need for a political union based on the federal model of the United States of America, a greater role for the European Parliament, with a Union capable of acting in certain fields by abolishing the power of veto); — environment and foreign policy; solidarity. The questions in the questionnaire are further analysed below, with the percentages of answers also broken down by type of respondents. QUESTIONNAIRE| 1. Also in the light of recent events (health crisis and Afghan crisis) do you think that EU competences should be strengthened in some areas? /_/SI/__/NO 2.In your opinion, it is right that the EU’s decisions on crucial issues: /_/are taken by the Member States unanimously; /_/it is necessary to overcome the right of veto and involve the body representing the citizens, the European Parliament. 3.According to you, it is right that: /_/is the States to finance the Union; /_/the Union should be financed autonomously by giving the European Parliament the power of each national Parliament, i.e. the power to decide on resources. 4. Greater representativeness in the relationship between citizens and European powers could be ensured, for example: /_/from a strengthening of European political parties; /_/or the introduction of transnational electoral rolls for the European Parliament. 5.In the last decade, national governments in Central and Eastern Europe have questioned the legitimacy of the values of democracy and the rule of law. In your opinion, is the rule of law (independence of the judiciary, neutrality of procedures, equal law for all) a value that can be negotiated or not? /_/YES/__/NO 6.In your opinion, should the Conference show the willingness to move forward on the path of ever closer union, and some Member States were opposed, would it be desirable to move towards a differentiation of the EU between a central group of countries committed to achieving a political union and a wider group of countries that participate exclusively in the single market? /_/YES/_/NO — WHAT EUROPE WOULD YOU LIKE? List THREE PRIORITIES| RESPECT TO QUESTIONAL QUESITES| The respondents have been divided into 4 categories: m=males, f=females, kings=girls, ri=boys. 1. In response to the first question, 97 % are in favour of strengthening the Union’s competences, of which: —m=35 %; —f=28 %;-re=20 %;-ri=17 %; 2. In response to the second question, 87 % considered that the Union should exceed the right of veto, including: —m=35 %; —f=29 %; —re=21 %; —ri=15 %. 3. In response to the third question 79 % believe that the union should be financed autonomously, of which: —m=33 %; —f=32 %; —re=17 %;-ri=18 %. 4. The results of the answer to the fourth question are not particularly significant because there is a large majority of I do not know. 5. In response to the fifth question, 86 % consider that the rule of law is a value that cannot be negotiated: —m=37 %; —f=30 %; —re=15 %; —ri=18 %. 6. In response to the sixth question, 76 % want an ever closer union, even with a group of countries, of which: —m=38 %; —f=32 %; —re=13 %;-ri=17 %.