Text tabled : A7-0061/2012

  Salvatore Iacolino (PPE), in writing. – (IT) I voted in favour because I firmly believe that Europe must support the winds of freedom blowing through the Mediterranean, with a strategic commitment to promoting democracy, by means of urgent, concrete help. In this regard, I believe that establishment of the European Endowment for Democracy could be one of the most tangible responses by the European Union to the challenges of democratisation in our neighbourhood. The Arab Spring showed Europe the great aspirations towards democracy of the Mediterranean populations, as well as the urgency of addressing the instability generated by undemocratic regimes in the EU’s neighbourhood. In particular, the events we have witnessed have been surprising for the role played by civil society and the power of popular protest. For this reason, I am very much in favour of the bottom-up approach that will guarantee direct support to civil society. However, this instrument will only be able to operate effectively if clear and transparent rules are adopted for the distribution of funds, inspired by an across-the-board involvement of civil society and pluralistic support for parties and associations.