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Imagining a ‘true’ Southeast Asian parliament
A Southeast Asian parliament may sound like an improbably idealistic vision, but in this era of unprecendented advancements and challenges, thinking out of the box is the way for the region to finally take a global lead by representing its citizens, especially its youth, at the regional level.
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Young at heart: Indonesian House of Representatives Speaker Puan Maharani presides over a meeting with Young Parliamentarians of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly on Aug. 8, 2023, in Jakarta. The gathering was part of the 44th assembly of AIPA. (Antara/Indonesian House of Representatives)
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s a European living in the Asia-Pacific region, I am often tempted to link political events happening on the “old continent” with what is occurring in this vast and diverse dynamic region.
I am not referring to the wars occurring in both regions: the Russian aggression on Ukraine and the military junta’s assault on democracy in Myanmar. It is rather about the European Parliament’s elections to be held across the EU in June.
Though hardly a perfect institution, the European Parliament is not yet able to initiate legislation on its own and rather, it is a co-legislator.
Despite this huge limitation, the European Parliament has gained more influence and power over the years and its votes are decisive in finalizing a great array of laws proposed by the European Commission. This makes the coming elections a big deal.
There is nothing equivalent in Southeast Asia, at least not yet. The ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is very far from resembling any form of regional legislative body, and we can hardly imagine this body possibly evolving in that direction. Simply expect business usual (read: nothing) when it convenes in Laos in October.
This does not mean that ASEAN can’t one day have a regional body that, despite its probable flaws and limitations, will more likely resemble an institution that counts.
Alternatively, Southeast Asia, or at least parts of it, could one day have much stronger regional mechanisms, including a proto-supranational parliament.
