Transeuropa Caravans: The Other Europe is On the Road

We are delighted to announce the launch of a dedicated website for our flagship project Transeuropa Caravans, bringing 6 caravans to cross 18 countries to meet with social movements, organisations, and citizens ahead of the European Elections. Visit us, follows us, get in touch on www.citizenspact.eu

Democracy in Europe is about more than choosing between one party and another on election day, and it is about more than complaining about the lack of vision of politicians. It is about the citizens of Europe voicing demands and suggestions for alternative policies on a continuous basis and enacting day after day the politics and society we want to live in.

Throughout the continent many citizens are engaged in improving the world around them, and there is no shortage of proposals for progressive alternative European policies. If this ‘other’ Europe of the citizens is rarely audible in the European media or political discussion, it is firstly because of strong vested interests in keeping it silent, and secondly because it is scattered geographically, disparate citizens often not working together across national and other borders. Nationalist and reactionary movements are capitalising on this disunity and starting to tear into the social fabric of Europe, exploiting and exacerbating divisions.

Since its creation 7 years ago, the civil society organisation European Alternatives has been trying to bring together the voices and practices calling and enacting a change in political direction. Since 3 years, European Alternatives – along with hundreds of partners – has been running consultations with citizens across the continent to collect proposals and ideas. The result of this process is the Citizens Manifesto for European Democracy, Solidarity and Equality.

Now we are taking the manifesto across Europe, in advance of the European Parliament elections in 22 – 25th May, to discuss the proposals with more people and build a network of people and organisations who share the aims of the manifesto and its methodology. We will work in the run up to the elections and afterwards to build a European democracy starting with the citizens, and together change the political direction of Europe.

You can follow our journey throughout Europe and read the full detailed manifesto proposals online here: www.citizenspact.eu.