PL: Political Platform

Introduction

We, the Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe (CDN), are committed
to upholding and advancing the values of the Green movement. We believe that the
well-being of people and the flourishing of the environment are closely linked
and that one cannot defend the interests of one while forgetting the other.

We are convinced that a radical change of our current social, political, and
economic institutions is necessary. Eastern Europe – where issues such as
corruption, armed conflicts, pollution and discrimination loom large –can only
profit from a Green vision. We strive for a world in which human rights are
upheld, the genders are truly equal, people actively participate in democracy,
minorities are included, and the environment is protected. We believe that human
and social rights are fundamental everywhere and that global affairs must be
conducted in a spirit of peace, solidarity and fairness.

As Greens, we know that our values are interrelated and that solutions are
sustainable only when these values mutually support each other.

This document lays out the values that inform and motivate our actions.

1. Democracy

We believe in democracy as one of the cornerstones of a free and just society.
Democracy includes more than just elections – a strong and fair institutional
framework, free and diverse media, human rights, and economic and social
equality are all crucial. It is especially important that our political

structures are inclusive and give a voice to minorities and the disenfranchised.

We strive for a democracy that enables and encourages active participation in
the shaping of our common future.

Democracy

We believe in democracy as the fairest way of governance. But for democracy to
fulfil this promise all citizens must have equal rights and the capacity to be
involved in decision-making processes. Election systems must be representative
and inclusive in order to give a voice to the disenfranchised and to avoid the
unjust accumulation of power. We support self-governance at the grass-root level
as the most non-discriminatory and just manifestation of democratic governance.
We believe in self-determination as all people's right to pursue their
independent political status or cultural development without external
interference.

We stand for actively engaged civil society as an integral part of democracy. An
appropriate environment for a sustainable and well-functioning civil society is
of utmost importance for the development and stability of democratic practices.
Voluntary action and active citizenship is important tool to strengthen
democracy.

We demand:

Human rights and the rule of law

We believe that human rights are universal. A democratic society must ensure the
protection of individual liberties, human rights and the rights of minorities.
Freedom of expression and speech must always be respected. We acknowledge that
respect for human rights cannot be guaranteed without recognizing and combating
hate speech, which affects the most vulnerable groups in society.

The protection of human rights depends on the rule of law. Equality, before the
law is imperative for all societies for it, ensures that all people, regardless
of their status, get equal access to the rights they are entitled to. It
furthermore allows governmental decisions to be challenged on an equal footing.

The rule of law both depends on and enables transparency, which is a crucial
element and backbone of democratic societies. Transparency provides powerful
tools that enable people to hold their governments to account and help prevent
abuse of power and corruption. We believe that transparency and rule of law are
not only a matter of justice, but it further enables people to empower
themselves.

We demand:

Media and digital rights

A free, diverse and critical media landscape is crucial to a well-functioning
democracy, allowing citizens to express their views, gain information, and
engage in political deliberation. We believe that only a media that is not
controlled by a few big enterprises and political actors can fulfil its role in
holding governments accountable.

Media must be supported in this task by adequate transparency laws and the
protection from government interference and arrest.

The internet has quickly become one of the main public spaces where people gain
and exchange information, both among themselves as well as with those who are in
positions of government. For the internet to remain a space where society can
meet and deliberate, we must ensure that the internet is free from mass
surveillance both by government and commercial entities. New online forms of
participatory democracy and culture must be explored. We must encourage the
formation of free and open online social spaces that are self- governed and
inclusive.

We demand:

Solidarity against nationalism

An inclusive society and long term sustainable prosperity can only be achieved
with a defeat of exclusionary ideologies such as right-wing nationalism and
populism. Applying the populist narrative to politics, social and economic
policy leads to insecurity, divisions and exclusion of the most threatened
groups. This can, in the future open space for conflicts between these groups.
Nationalist and xenophobic political agendas further weaken the disenfranchised
and strengthen the powerful. Nationalism is often bound up in racism and
bigotry, organising against which is a key part of Green politics.

We believe solidarity to be a foundation on which all progress is built. We
stand for cooperation and mutual collaboration as solutions to the split
societies that exclusionary ideologies create.

We demand:

2. Social rights

We believe that social rights are essential for all people to be autonomous
members of their societies. Social rights should be considered fundamental and
be provided by all governments. Social rights include equal access to quality
education and healthcare, right to housing and employment. It is crucial to have
a strong implementation of social rights to have an inclusive, equal and just
society in peace.

Gender

Gender equality is fundamental to a just society.

The capitalistic economic system and mode of production, alongside long-
standing patriarchal traditions, have resulted in the oppressive, exploitative
and discriminatory treatment of non-males, effectively relegating them to
second- class status. Sustained action, guided by a strong feminist perspective,
is needed to overcome this problem. Gender equality is the necessary foundation
for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. The first step in achieving
these rights is the proportional representation of people of various gender
identities in representative bodies.

We demand:

Social security

We believe that one of the strongest cohesive forces in any society is social
solidarity expressed in practice through state-guaranteed social security.
Social security is an important means for achieving prosperity for all, equality
and meaningful lives. A welfare state should enable all inhabitants to lead
dignified lives. In order to achieve this social security should not only ensure
survival but enable people to actively participate in the cultural and social
life of their communities.

We demand:

Youth

As an organisation of young people, we recognise the key role of youth in
society. Youth is not only the future of society but its present too. Often,
they are not seen as an active and equal actor in the political, social,
cultural, and economic spheres and are excluded from decision-making processes
or treated as mere tokens. We support youth rights in every aspect of social and
political life and strive for making youth’s voices heard. We believe that
active citizenship should be encouraged among youth and, as a minimum, youth
rights should be proactively defended in order to strengthen their position in
society. Education is one of the most important means enabling youth to stand up
for their rights and fully contribute to democracy. We believe the current
educational system must be fundamentally reformed enabling the direct and equal
participation of students in the learning process. Education is for progress,
sustainability, diversity, and prosperity. We highlight the value and importance
of non-formal education as an inclusive alternative to current institutional
forms of education and as a major provider of skills to foster participation in
democracy.

We demand:

Inclusion

As a Green organisation encompassing a geographically and ethnically diverse
region, cultural rights and non-discrimination is a vital part of our world-
view.

Cultural diversity is of fundamental value to us. Protection of diversity
fosters inclusion and equal participation of every person in state affairs,
public and everyday life, and guarantees that each individual has equal
opportunities for personal and social fulfilment. Inclusion and openness help
create a more welcoming society, where a variety of ideas, efforts and
perspectives may thrive.

We believe that every community has the right to use their own language and to
preserve their traditions as long as they do not violate the rights of others.

Therefore we stand for social sensitivity, peaceful co-existence, preservation
of local languages and cultural heritage and traditions where their compatible
with non-violence and inclusion of vulnerable groups. We condemn any
discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, belief,
self identity et cetera.

We demand:

3. Environmental justice

We as Young Greens take ecology and environmental justice as guiding principles
in our world view and political ideology. Out of all species on Earth, human
beings are the only ones drastically using and subduing nature to suit their own
needs. Pollution, the altering of habitats, extinction of species, climate
change, active hostilities, et cetera affect all living organisms. A healthy
environment and stable ecosystems are a prerequisite for a healthy society. At
this moment many are living beyond the capacities of this planet and have little
awareness of the repercussions thereof. We need to start acting responsibly and
humbly, building a society on the principles of sustainability and respect of
nature's capacities, limiting our own harmful impact.

Climate change

Decisive action to counteract climate change should be taken immediately. The
global scientific consensus has laid out very clear warnings that this is non-
negotiable. As an issue that will have irreversible and tragic effects on all of
humankind, this is something we understand as urgent and a priority. To properly
fight the acceleration of climate change, climate action should be taken at all
levels, from the personal to the global.

We condemn the discourses in mainstream politics relying on future solutions to
mitigate the effects of the climate crisis, such as carbon (re)capture, nuclear
fusion and heavily electrified machinery. These instruments promote growth based
economies which are exploitative of our natural resources and most of
individuals in the society. Furthermore, all these solutions shift the
responsibility to future generations, while it's in fact, up to us to act today
to prevent the worst effects of climate change.

We demand:

Environmental preservation and biodiversity

We recognize that the planet does not serve just humankind but all living
beings. We believe that the protection of natural resources and the Earth itself
is crucial. Other living beings and their preservation should be considered an
important part of all decision making. Energy should be produced sustainably and
not do irreversible damage to the planet.

We demand:

Water and food

Water and food security have to be one of the primary concerns and aims of
society. They are basic for the survival of every human being. Access to clean
water resources and quality food should be unconditionally guaranteed as an
intrinsic right for all living beings. Consumers should be incentivised to
change their habits, prioritising a low carbon diet by consuming local and
organic food. We oppose any monopolisation in food production and seed. Food
production should be done with great care for their impact on human health, the
environment and other living beings and based on principles of sustainability.

We demand:

Urban ecosystems

Urban areas are the most quickly developing human settlements in the world. A
majority of the population now lives there, making cities a crucial part of our
societies. Cities have high demands for goods (e.g. food, water and energy)
which they are not fully able to satisfy themselves, and which are imported from
other areas. As big concentrations of people and human activity, cities produce
and are subject to high pollution and lower standards of living than in rural
areas. Cities should not continue to function in a way that is harmful to their
inhabitants and the rest of the planet and its people.

We demand:

4. Economy

We believe that we urgently need a new form of organising our economy. Our
societies should orient themselves away from consumerism and the accumulation of
wealth and instead provide everyone with the opportunities needed to live a
fulfilled life. The current economic model has had serious negative consequences
for people and the environment. Firstly, the unequal distribution of wealth
directly affects countless lives and entrenches power imbalances. Secondly, the
use of natural resources to produce more and more material goods endangers the
environment and affects especially the lives of the marginalised and future
generations.

We believe that the answer can only be a community-based approach based on
cooperation and sustainability where meeting everyone's fundamental needs –
including our desires for sociality and creativity – take centre stage.

Labour

Work constitutes a large part of most people's lives and livelihoods are often
directly linked to income generated by labour. Therefore, fair and just labour
rights are crucial aspects of personal well-being and functioning democracies.
The right not to be exploited in the workplace is fundamental for a healthy
society. Women, youth and minorities are still the most vulnerable to
exploitation in their work- there should be stronger protections for these
groups. Today's economic model has seen a rise in jobs that offer unsatisfactory
working conditions such as low wages, unstable hours, tasks that are not
mentally stimulating, and precarious contracts. These developments are
detrimental to society as a whole. Our economy and concept of work should focus
on providing jobs that give enable material and mental well-being.

We demand:

Trade

As one of the key drivers of globalisation, trade is a crucial aspect of our
societies and current economic model. This has resulted in the proliferation of
economic inequality and instability, rather than creating an economy that
benefits everyone. This has been driven by reckless self-interested behaviour by
multinationals and the financial sector and aggressive trade policies that are
created in the interest of corporations, not the wider society. This gives
unequal power to business interests, leading countries to a democratic deficit.
Trade is important and can benefit humanity greatly, but it must be undertaken
in the spirit of fair cooperation and respect for the environment.

We demand:

Alternative economic organisation

We envision a system of economic organisation that is based on collective
stewardship of our natural resources and collective control of the means of
production. Communities need to be in control of the production facilities and
decide themselves what their needs are and how they can be best fulfilled. We
need to put an end to the privatisation and commodification of our common goods:
our environment, our cultural heritage and the knowledge produced by the
sciences.

Work must allow people to contribute to our common good and realise their
capacities. Less stress should be put on the production of material goods and
more on collaboration, the provision of social goods, and the development of the
arts and sciences. This new economy needs to be sustainable in all aspects and
always include the needs of future generations and of our environment in its
thinking.

We demand:

5. Global Affairs

We strongly believe that the social change we envision can only be achieved
through cooperation at the global level aimed at reaching sustainable solutions.
We support international organisations, unions and agreements that work towards
peaceful solutions to armed conflict and foster cooperation on climate issues,
fair international trade and humanitarian support. We call for the countries
that have the most access to the wealth to assume responsibility for their
historical behaviour and act to lower the difference with the majority of
countries, which have suffered and still suffer from exploitation. All
international relations should be based on non-violence and conflicts should be
solved in negotiations based on mutual respect and multilateral communication. A
fairer and more equal world, with a more balanced distribution of goods and
resources, is better for everyone.

Peace

We as Young Greens strongly stand for peaceful means as a core principle and
strive to create a world with a culture of non-violence. War is both the cause
and consequence of great human suffering and as such must be overcome if people
are to live fulfilling lives. International cooperation and peaceful
facilitation of negotiations should be the primary way of addressing conflict.

We condemn all behaviour by public and private stakeholders that aims at
profiting from armed conflict and see it as complicit in the perpetuation of the
destruction of societies and the earth. We want to build a strong and
sustainable peace by strengthening tolerance, economic equality, environmental
protection, respect of human rights and social security in all parts of the
world.

We demand:

European Union

We understand Europe as being more than just an accumulation of individual
countries. Cultural, economic, historical and political reasons make Europe an
interdependent and transnational community.

The European Union should be a mutual and crucial project to enhance the
cooperation among the countries of the continent. The European Union must be a
community based on mutual respect, transparency, and prosperity. We see the
future of Eastern European countries as being part of this community, however,
not at the expense of becoming a source of underpaid labour or a market for
otherwise unwanted products.

We demand:

Migration

Both voluntary and involuntary migration has increased in recent years due to
various factors – it is one of the most pressing matters of our age. Economic
uncertainty, armed conflicts and climate change are all driving people away from
their homelands in search of a safer existence. We understand that we all bear
the responsibility of providing a safe environment and a fair asylum system for
the people fleeing conflict, hunger and oppression. We condemn any form of human
trafficking, human rights violation and abuse of power by authorities regarding
refugees.

We believe that freedom of movement is the right of every human being. We strive
to create a world in which no person is considered illegal, where people are not
forced to leave their homes, and where societies show solidarity with all people
seeking refuge. Not only does diversity boost the economy and innovation, but a
diverse and culturally rich society is a strong one.

We demand: