Europe – Democracy – Esperanto

Infobox_European_Political_Party
party_name = Europe – Democracy – Esperanto
party_name_de = Europa – Demokratie – Esperanto
party_name_fr = Europe – Démocratie – Espéranto
party_name_it = Europa – Democrazia – Esperanto
party_name_es = Europa – Democracia – Esperanto
party_name_nl = Europa - Democratie - Esperanto
party_name_eo = Eŭropo – Demokratio – Esperanto
party_articletitle = Europe – Democracy – Esperanto
party_
president = Emmanuel Débanne
foundation = 2003
ideology = Linguistic democracy
international =
europarl =| colours = green
headquarters = 6 rue des Juifs F-67000 Strasbourg, France
website = [http://e-d-e.org/?lang=en www.e-d-e.org]

Europe – Democracy – Esperanto or E° D° E° (EDE) (in Esperanto: "Eŭropo – Demokratio – Esperanto") is an electoral list, which participates in the European elections. The party's main platform is the introduction of Esperanto as the official language of the EU in order to promote linguistic unity in the union.

As Europe – Démocratie – Espéranto, the party first took part in an election in the European Parliament election, 2004, in France. Its German branch, Europa – Demokratie – Esperanto, failed to gather the 4000 signatures necessary to participate in the elections in Germany despite intense efforts (it was hampered by a late start).

The list's main goal is the promotion of Esperanto in the EU. In the medium–term, it wants Esperanto taught in schools Europe–wide, and in the long-term, it wants the EU to adopt Esperanto as its official language. In order to make this goal a reality, the EDE is striving to have list candidates in each country in the EU for the European Parliament election, 2009. Until now the organisation has only had branch offices in France and Germany.Fact|date=August 2007

Debate within Esperanto movement

While most Esperanto institutions such as Universala Esperanto-Asocio are by statute and in practice politically neutral, some discussion about the neutrality of EDE [ [http://www.u-matthias.de/verein/ede_eo.htm Politika agado por Esperanto ] ] has arisen. Specifically, there is concern over what other policies might through EDE be linked with Esperanto other than the advancement of Esperanto itself. German Esperanto writer Ulrich Matthias argues that in gaining broad support in Germany at least, EDE would be best served to identify with centrist positions advancing humanism, peace and environmentalism, as well as opposing "U.S. hegemony" in the correct fashion [ [http://www.u-matthias.de/verein/ede_eo.htm Politika agado por Esperanto ] ] .

Because Esperanto is considered by many Esperanto speakers to be a world-wide movement, some fear that advancing the cause of Esperanto within the EU could cast the language as a European issue and hamper the progress of the language outside of Europe.

2004 Election results

The party did not set out to have a great vote on languages — instead, the EDE tries to set up Esperanto as an alternative to the twenty different official languages of the European Union, which produce enormous expenses.

The 2004 parliamentary election broke records for the number of parties participating, and the EDE became something of a poster child for protest parties, being picked out by national papers as an example of the ridiculous. ["Des antiradars aux espérantistes; EUROPÉENNES La pléthore des petites listes." Le Figaro. By Saïd Mahrane. 12 juin 2004] ["Un nombre record de 168 listes dans les 8 circonscriptions électorales" Le Monde, 01 juin 2004, France] It was described by Les Échos as one of several "crazy, anti-this or pro-that parties" running in the election. [ [http://archives.lesechos.fr/archives/2004/LesEchos/19169-21-ECH.htm?texte=Europe%20Démocratie%20Espéranto "Européennes : une campagne ouvertedans l'indifférence"] Les Échos n° 19169 du 01 Juin 2004 • page 4] However because of it was on the ballot in a vast majority of districts, it was one of the dozen parties selected by Les Échos to have a party platform published. [ [http://archives.lesechos.fr/archives/2004/LesEchos/19175-232-ECH.htm?texte=Europe%20Démocratie%20Espéranto "Cinq minutes de conjugaison pour parler l'européen"] Les Échos n° 19175 du 09 Juin 2004 • page D.]

The EDE had lists in seven of the eight large voting districts of France and received around 0.15% of the vote in the European Election on 13 June 2004.

ee also

*Finvenkismo

Notes

References

*EoTrans|Eŭropo - Demokratio - Esperanto

External links

* [http://e-d-e.org/?lang=en EDE Official Site]