World Parliament: Governance and Democracy in the 21st Century (Session 2)

The World Citizen Book Club continued its exploration of World Parliament: Governance and Democracy in the 21st Century (2nd edition) by Andreas Bummel and Jo Leinen in this second session, focusing on Chapters 28 and 29. The discussion examined the practical implementation of a democratic world parliament and the political pathways toward expanding democracy to the global scale.

About the Book

World Parliament: Governance and Democracy in the 21st Century argues that for the first time in history, all people worldwide are linked in a shared civilization facing common challenges—war, poverty, inequality, climate change, and environmental destruction—that overwhelm nation-states and existing international institutions. The authors contend that a third democratic transformation is needed: expanding democracy from the national to the global level, with the creation of a democratic world parliament as the centerpiece. The second edition reflects developments including the COVID-19 pandemic, democratic backsliding, and the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, with substantial revisions and expanded content.

About the Authors

• Jo Leinen served as a member of the European Parliament from 1999 to 2019, chairing the environmental committee and the committee on constitutional affairs. He served as president of the European Movement (2011–2017) and presided over the Union of European Federalists (1997–2005). Previously, he was minister of the environment in the German state of Saarland (1985–1994).
• Andreas Bummel is co-founder and director of Democracy Without Borders and of the Campaign for a United Nations Parliamentary Assembly. He served as a Council member of the World Federalist Movement from 1998 to 2018 and has dedicated his career to the promotion of global democracy and world federalism.

Discussion Highlights

This second session focused on Chapters 28 and 29, which addressed the concrete mechanisms and political strategies for establishing a world parliament. Participants discussed how the concept of a global parliamentary assembly could strengthen democratic accountability in international affairs and considered the political feasibility of such reforms in the current geopolitical landscape.