EU Constitution and God

Europe United Party News. The pan-European party Europe United is very concerned about the statement made by German Chancellor Angela Merkel in support of a reference to God in the European Constitution. Similar demands had been made by other European leaders with a religious agenda when the European Constitution was still being drafted.

Many different religions as well as non-religious people exist in Europe. Peaceful coexistence is possible only if the states and the Union themselves are secular, and if religious belief or lack thereof has no influence or weight in political decisions. Europe United does not promote atheism, but it believes in the right of freedom of religion and freedom of consciousness; the separation of church and state and secularism of state institutions is of utmost importance. No person should be able to use state institutions to impose their religious morals upon others.

Furthermore, it is likely that the proposed mention of "God" in the European Constitution would refer to a Christian God; whether this reference is veiled or open it would constitute discrimination against non-Christians, religious and non-religious alike. While it is often rightly claimed that Europe has a strong Christian tradition, it is equally true and likely even more important that Europe was also the birthplace of the Enlightenment and of the modern democratic and secular traditions now common to all liberal democracies in the world.

Therefore, Europe United demands the following:

1) There should be no reference to God, Christianity, or any other specific religion or belief in treaties and laws of the European Union, both present and future.

2) Both member states and the European Union should be completely secular and favour no specific belief or lack thereof.

3) As part of the human rights to which everyone is entitled, complete freedom of religion and consciousness should be assured by the European Union and its member states.

Party leader, Aki Paasovaara says, “Religion is a private matter in Europe and everybody has a right to have a god or not, but it is necessary to expand on this in order to avoid confusion. Any reference to God in the EU constitution is a step back in time and is completely ill-suited, because in this context the law is given under the cover of religious power. Moreover, I would see such a move as a major violation against European secularity. Keep gods out of the EU constitution!”