MEDIAPART

This petition was initiated by Mediapart readers after exchanges on the subject. European citizens are welcome to sign it. It can be printed, put on line and circulated in any way provided that its original form is respected. There is an enclosed charter so that anyone willing to sign may read the conditions of signing, releasing, circulating and further reading of the petition.

A EUROPEAN CALL TO RESIST FINANCIAL DICTATORSHIP 

An unprecedented crisis is making social inequalities and poverty worse and is leading Europe towards imminent catastrophe.

We, European citizens, declare that this crisis is not unavoidable, contrary to what many people would like us to think. Solutions exist and the peoples of Europe must demand their implementation now. Irresponsible governments are making citizens pay for the madness of those who are really responsible for the debt crisis, i.e. the financial markets. We call on Europeans to refuse the dictatorship of financial speculation and the terrible consequences it has on our lives.

Current policies are leading to an economic dead-end

Everywhere the debt crisis is a pretext for governments to impose cuts on public spending which are destroying vital social institutions—schools, hospitals, justice systems, research programmes, and national health services.

In the wake of the 2008 crisis European officials vigorously pledged to limit the devastating consequences of financial speculation: those promises have been broken. Wild speculation continues unchecked and is undermining any chance of economic recovery and reduced unemployment.

We categorically reject the use of finance as a weapon to crush the people for the benefit of the wealthiest

Financial institutions should be at the service of society and the economy, and not the other way round. Consequently, we affirm that it is time now to change our politics and our economic model.

We urge every European citizen to use all democratic and peaceful means available to persuade governments and European institutions to adopt the following five measures:

• the cancellation of all austerity programmes;
• the outlawing of financial speculation by deposit banks
• the implementation on a European basis of a sizeable tax on financial transactions;
• independent audits of public debts with the aim of gradually reducing them or writing them off;
• the introduction of fiscal reforms aiming at an equitable redistribution of wealth.

We share the indignation of all those who protest and call for supporting, developing, and federating protest movements on a European scale.

For this we urge European citizens to occupy large town centres massively and peacefully every Sunday until their will has been heard and respected. These demonstrations must aim at becoming real citizens’ forums enabling people to reconquer their sovereignty. Let us decide together what our lives should be and let us stand united against financial dictatorship!

A thousand demonstrations for a Europe that belongs to the people!A thousand citizens’ forums against financial dictatorship! To sign this appeal, please fill in the form below (Last name / First name / Address / Country / E-mail address)

Click here to download the text of the appeal

Click here to download the charter