Thoughts on the Manifesto for Democratization of Europe in the Light of Fiscal Powers

Abstract

Today we are witnessing almost the widest gap between the richest and the poorest. Besides economic aspect of inequality, democracy deficit, acceleration of global warming, urgent needs to adopt sustainable development, adaptation issues of the migrants can be considered as main problems of today’s world. Current models are being insufficient to address these problems. Basically, European Union does not have a strong mechanism to adopt tax measures. The opponents consider that because they are not directly elected, European Union institutions may lack the democratic legitimacy that would be needed to have tax-raising powers. Considering that challenge The Manifesto for the Democratization of Europe -with its concrete suggestions- constitutes an essential effort to tackle these problems. Suggestions in the Manifesto are easily filling the gaps in the existing system in Europe. The system envisaged in the Manifesto is focusing on the European Assembly especially with its tax-raising and expenditure power. The mechanism is also novel, in the sense that it leaves the traditional way of budgeting. In this article, the authors aim is to identify the suggested model of the Manifesto and the Treaty on the Democratization of Europe.