Party Statutes – Europeans for the Planet – Europäer für den Planeten

Horst Walther 2024-12-02 No Comments

Party Statutes – Europeans for the Planet

1 Name, Headquarters, and Scope of Activity

Name: The party is named Europeans for the Planet, with the abbreviated designation A Party for Europe’s Place in the World.
Headquarters: The party’s headquarters are located in Hamburg.
Scope of Activity: The scope of the party’s activity encompasses the territory of the Federal Republic of Germany.

§2 Purpose of the Party

To ensure the long-term survival of humanity in a habitable environment.
To preserve our typically European liberal civil liberties in the process.
To establish a constitutionally anchored Europe as a state with unified foreign, financial, and defense policies.
To make political decisions based on principles that are rule-based, transparent, and traceable.

§3 Principles of Collaboration

§3.1 Language and Communication

National Language and English: Participation in the party’s opinion-forming and decision-making processes is always permissible in English (UK) alongside the respective national language. In this case, the national language is German.
Online Collaboration: Party organs shall meet online via video meetings unless otherwise agreed upon in specific cases.
Offline Collaboration: Between scheduled online and offline meetings, party discussions and decision-making will continue asynchronously, e.g., via email or secure chats.
Secret Voting: Voting in secret elections will be carried out using one or more ballot boxes distributed within the respective organizational unit’s area of operation.

§3.2 Decision-Making

Member Participation: All members will be granted the widest possible participation in decision-making on issues via electronic communication channels, regardless of expertise or time constraints.
Rule-Based, Transparent Decisions: The party aims to ensure decisions are rule-based, principled, transparent, and traceable. Individual decisions only take effect after their compatibility with the overarching principles and policies in the party program has been confirmed.
Delegation of Votes: Members may link their voting behavior for individual or multiple issues to that of another member. This decision is recorded, and in non-secret votes, the delegating member’s vote will automatically align with the chosen delegate’s participation.
Delegation Across Topics: Members can delegate their votes for different issues to different delegates.
Unused Delegations: If a chosen delegate does not vote, the delegating member’s vote is also not cast.
Revoking Delegations: Members may revoke delegated votes at any time, with the decision recorded for future reference.
Forwarding Delegations: Delegations can be chained, meaning a member may delegate their vote to another member who has also delegated their vote.
Circular Delegations: If delegations result in a circular relationship, the votes of all involved members are not counted.
Amendments to Proposals: Proposals entered into the system cannot be altered or deleted without the proposer’s consent. Alternative proposals may be submitted beforehand.
Publicity of Decisions: All decisions are published online without delay, excluding details of proposers or voting participants.
Oracle Consultation: Political decisions must align with the purpose of the party as defined in §2. Where possible, these decisions should derive logically from this purpose and its principles. The party plans to input all decisions into an automated, rule-based system once reliable and cost-effective solutions are available. The system will provide recommendations but will not yet make automated decisions using artificial intelligence.

§3.3 Accountability Through Transparency

Responsibility: Members acknowledge the responsibility that comes with political action.
Public Voting: All party decisions, excluding voting behavior, will be made public without time limitations.
Secret Votes: Only elections and dismissals of officeholders are conducted in secret.
Author Identification: Contributions in internal party systems are tagged with the member’s name and ID but are not published.

§3.4 Public Responsibility of Members

Public Perception: Members must consider that their political actions may reflect their association with the party.

§3.5 Special Responsibilities of Officeholders

Public Statements: Officeholders must exclusively represent the party’s goals in public during their tenure.
Contrary Conduct: Repeated actions contrary to the party’s goals or promotion of personal political goals may cause significant harm to the party.

§3.6 Responsibilities of Mandate Holders

Use of Mandates: Mandate holders are obligated to further the party’s political goals.
Representation of Party Positions: Mandate holders must represent the party’s policies and resolutions.
Violation of Goals: Repeated actions in opposition to the party’s goals or resolutions are considered highly damaging.

§3.7 Majority-Based Decisions

Majority Decisions: Decisions are made by majority vote.
Minority Proposals: Democratic minorities may present proposals for deliberation.
Participating Members: Only participating members, including those using delegation, may decide.
Delegated Votes: Members using delegation mechanisms have equal standing in decisions.
Eligibility to Vote: Only voting members may participate; sponsoring members are excluded.
Types of Majorities: Decisions require either:
- A simple majority (more “yes” votes than “no”).
- An exceptional two-thirds majority (twice as many “yes” votes as “no”).
Applicability of Majorities: The two-thirds majority applies only when explicitly required by this statute.

§ 3.8 Secret Elections and Voting

(1) Secret Elections: Voting in secret elections and ballots takes place through the assembly of one or more ballot boxes distributed across the jurisdiction of the respective division.
(2) Public Transparency of Elections: Ballot boxes must remain publicly observable without interruption until emptied. Before use, participants of the assembly must inspect the boxes to ensure their proper condition. The insertion of ballots, the emptying of ballot boxes, and the counting of votes must take place publicly to enable participants to verify the correct execution of the election.
(3) Counting Aids: Tools for counting votes in secret elections are permissible, provided the result can be verified by the participants.

§ 3.9 Accreditation

(1) Public Process: Accreditation is carried out either online via a video meeting or during a public event.
(2) Scope of Accreditation: At events as defined in (1), only members of the division whose board convened the meeting, as well as new members joining that division, may be accredited.
(3) Leadership: Events as defined in (1) are led by a person appointed by the board.
(4) Process: A member or new member is accredited by:

Introducing themselves by their full legal name to participants attending the event either online or in person, and
Verifying their full legal name and primary residence to a person authorized by the board.
For individuals without a primary residence, a registration in the electoral register of the Federal Republic of Germany may suffice.
(5) Deadlines: Accreditation must occur no later than two weeks after a member joins the party.
(6) Documentation: A record of the accreditation event must be prepared by the board-appointed individual, listing all persons accredited at the event and published internally in the announcement calendar.

§ 4 Information Obligations

§ 4.1 Public Access, Human- and Machine-Readable Formats

(1) Transparency: The party conducts its political work openly and in a transparent manner.
(2) Public Records: To this end, the party maintains the following records publicly, accessible online in both human- and machine-readable formats:

Public membership directory,
Register of decisions,
Organizational directory, and
Financial register.
(3) Non-Public Records: Non-public records include:
The announcement calendar,
The document archive.

§ 4.2 Public Membership Directory

(1) Membership Directory: The party publishes a public membership directory listing its members.
(2) Member Data: The following data is recorded, stored, and published for the duration of membership:

Membership number, full/associate membership, active/inactive status,
Legal name and profession (with member consent),
Nationality and primary residence,
Date of joining the party,
Memberships and roles in other parties or politically active organizations,
Mandates in parliaments, administrations, foundations, and advisory boards,
A personal motto (optional),
Contact information (optional),
A personal profile (optional),
A current photo (not older than five years, optional),
A video clip of up to three minutes (optional).

§ 4.3 Announcement Calendar

(1) Announcement Calendar: The party operates an online calendar accessible to all members, where boards of all divisions or their delegates share important announcements.
(2) Types of Announcements: These include:

Invitations to meetings of party organs,
Invitations to accreditation events,
Announcements of referenda under §6.3 (15).
(3) Additional Announcements: Additional types of announcements require approval from the respective membership meeting.
(4) Notification Periods: Board announcements are considered delivered seven days after their publication in the calendar.
(5) No Deletions: Entries in the announcement calendar are not deleted.

§ 4.4 Document Archive

(1) Document Archive: The party operates an online document archive accessible to all members, where boards of all divisions or their delegates can deposit important documents.
(2) Types of Documents: The following types of documents are stored in the archive:

Minutes of meetings of party organs,
Records of accreditation events,
Applications for membership,
Resignations.
(3) Retention Period: Minutes of meetings of party organs are stored permanently by the party and made accessible to members.

§ 4.5 Register of Decisions

(1) Transparency of Decisions: All organs of the party’s divisions publish:

All submitted motions, and
The resulting decisions
… in a central register of decisions.
(2) Decision Data: The following data is recorded, stored permanently, and published:
Division,
Organ,
Date of motion submission,
Full text of the decision,
Date of decision or rejection,
Duration of validity or application as an end date or condition,
Status indicating whether the decision is still valid, with references to any repealing decisions.

Not Publicly Accessible:

The identity of the individual submitting the motion.

(3) Validity of Board Decisions: Decisions made by the boards of divisions only take effect after their full publication in the register of decisions. Exceptions are regulated in the statutes.
(4) Immediate Validity of Board Decisions: In exceptional cases, a board may declare a decision immediately valid by majority vote. An exceptional case occurs when immediate publication in the register is not possible, and such action is necessary to prevent harm to the party.
(5) Publication of Immediate Decisions: Any decision declared immediately valid, along with its justification, must be published in the register as soon as possible.

§ 4.6 Organizational Directory

(1) Organizational Directory: The party publishes its organizational structure in a directory.
(2) Content: The directory lists:

Which positions in the division are occupied by which members,
Mandates in parliaments, administrations, foundations, and advisory boards held by members of the party, and
Delegations assigned by the board and the individuals responsible for these delegations.

§ 4.7 Financial Register

(1) Financial Register: The party publishes the sources and uses of its funds as well as information about its assets in a financial register.

§ 4.8 Classified Matters

(1) Classified Matters: A division’s board may declare certain matters as classified.
(2) Publication of Classification Decisions: Decisions to classify matters are published in the party’s register of decisions.
(3) Data on Classification Decisions: For classified matters, the following information is recorded, stored permanently, and published (differing from §4.4 (2)):

Division,
Organ,
Reason for classification,
Group of authorized individuals,
Date of classification decision,
Duration of classification as an end date or condition.
(4) Access to Classified Matters: Any member of the board that classified a matter, as well as members of boards of higher divisions, may request access to classified matters.
(5) End of Classification: Classification of a matter ends when:
The published end date or condition is met,
The organ that classified the matter repeals it by majority vote, or
A higher division’s board repeals the classification by majority vote.

Whichever condition is met first will apply.
(6) Non-Public Decisions: Decisions declared as classified are not included in the regular register of decisions under §4.4. However, the classification itself is published in the register.
(7) Publication After Classification Ends: Once the classification of a decision ends, it is published in the register of decisions.

§ 4.9 Deletion of Data and Content

(1) No Deletions: Data and content permanently published by the party are not deleted.
(2) Depublication for Party Interests: Data or content that opposes the party’s purpose under §2 may be removed upon decision by the responsible board, but only to prevent harm to the party.
(3) Deletion for Legal Reasons: Data or content that violates applicable law may be deleted upon decision by the responsible board or a higher division’s board.
(4) Unapproved Deletion: If data or content is deleted without prior board approval, this action must still be immediately documented and published in the register of decisions unless classified under §4.7.

§ 5 Membership

§ 5.1 Conditions for Membership

(1) Eligibility: Any natural person can become a voting member of the party if they:

Either have their main residence in the Federal Republic of Germany,
Or can provide proof of registration in an electoral register in the Federal Republic of Germany,
Or hold German citizenship,
… and who:
Are at least 18 years old, and
Accept the party’s program and statutes.

Non-voting members (supporting members) can include:

Youths aged 14 or older,
Individuals from other countries without a main residence in Germany or without electoral registration in Germany.

(2) Membership in Other Organizations: Membership in the party is open to individuals who are members of other political parties or politically active organizations. Existing or previous memberships in such entities must be disclosed upon application, provided they are within the last 10 years.

(3) Incompatibility: Membership in the party is incompatible with membership in any party or organization whose goals conflict with the purpose outlined in §2.

(4) Incompatibility Determination: The general assembly determines which parties or organizations are deemed incompatible under (3). Such a decision only becomes valid after its compatibility with the party program and derived policies is transparently confirmed.

§ 5.2 Joining and Admission

(1) Membership Application: Membership in the party is applied for by submitting a general declaration to the party. The executive board of the lowest subdivision within which the applicant resides processes the application.

(2) Publication of Membership Application: The application is published in the document archive (§4.3) with the following data:

Full name,
Nationality, postal code, and place of residence,
Subdivisions the applicant would belong to,
Current and previous memberships in other parties or politically active organizations under §5.1 (2),
Indication of any restrictions on active or passive voting rights,
Contact details (optional for publication),
Personal statement (optional for publication).

(3) Decision on Membership: Within two weeks of receiving the application, the executive board of the relevant subdivision decides, via open vote, on the membership. Admission may only be denied if there are documented statutory impediments.

(4) Inaction on Membership Applications: If the relevant subdivision board does not decide within two weeks, the decision is made by the executive board of the next higher subdivision.

(5) Start of Membership:

Supporting membership begins with either the admission decision or the payment of the first membership fee, whichever occurs later.
Voting membership begins with accreditation under §3.9.

(6) Membership in the Party: Membership is acquired directly with the party.

(7) Membership in Subdivisions: Members also belong to all subdivisions corresponding to their place of residence or electoral registration.

§ 5.3 End of Membership

(1) Termination: Membership ends through:

Death,
Declaration of withdrawal to any executive board in written form,
Significant arrears in membership fees, or
Expulsion.

(2) Termination Due to Fee Arrears: Membership automatically terminates if fees are overdue for more than a year, following three automated reminders. The state executive board may waive termination in exceptional circumstances.

(3) Certification of Termination: The executive board of the lowest relevant subdivision certifies the end of membership.

(4) Voting Rights and Fee Payment: Voting rights are suspended during fee arrears and reinstated upon payment.

(5) Refund of Fees: Paid membership fees are non-refundable upon termination.

§ 5.4 Rights and Obligations of Members

(1) Participation Rights: Every member has the right to participate in the party’s decision-making processes.

(2) Obligations in Participation: Members must:

Act in line with the party’s purpose under §2, and
Adhere to the principles of cooperation outlined in §3.

(3) Prohibition of Discriminatory Actions: Members must not engage in actions or statements reflecting group-based hostility or discrimination.

(4) Obligations from Cooperation Principles: Members must not act against the provisions in §3.4, and if applicable, §§3.5 and 3.6.

(5) Self-Informed Responsibility: Members are responsible for regularly checking the announcement calendar (§4.3) to stay informed.

(6) Reporting Changes: Members must promptly notify the executive board of their subdivision about:

Changes in memberships or roles in other parties or organizations,
Offices or mandates held in connection with other organizations, including parliaments,
Changes in residency or electoral registration,
Any restrictions or restorations of voting rights.

(7) Membership Fee Obligation: Members are required to pay fees according to the fee schedule. Voting rights are suspended during arrears, and membership ends after a year of non-payment.

§ 5.5 Supporting Membership

(1) Definition: Supporting membership is open to individuals wishing to back the party’s goals.

(2) Rights of Supporting Members: Supporting members cannot vote but may contribute to discussions.

(3) Admission: Supporting members are admitted by the relevant subdivision board. Non-resident members are decided by the party’s executive board.

(4) Expulsion: Supporting members can be excluded by resolution of the executive board or general assembly. No justification is required.

§ 6 Structure

§ 6.1 Subdivisions

(1) Structure: Party subdivisions follow Germany’s political administrative structure.

(2) Levels of Subdivisions: The party can establish:

State associations (aligned with federal states),
District associations,
County associations, and
Local associations.

(3) Activity Areas: Subdivisions align with the political territories they represent.

(4) Hierarchy: Subdivisions are subordinate to their respective parent subdivisions.

(5) No Separate Statutes: Subdivisions do not adopt their own statutes but adhere to these statutes.

(6) Formation of Subdivisions: Subdivisions are formed upon meeting certain membership thresholds and a call for establishment.

(7) Adjustments for Administrative Changes: Subdivisions adapt automatically to political administrative reforms.

§ 6.3 General Assembly of Members

(1) Supreme Body:
The supreme body of a subdivision is the General Assembly of Members.

(2) Public Nature of the General Assembly:
The General Assembly meets publicly.

(3) Principles of the General Assembly:
The General Assembly conducts opinion and decision-making according to the principles of the party as specified in §3, particularly:

online, continuously, and in both German and English as outlined in §3.1,
in adherence to the principles established in the party program as specified in §3.2, except for secret elections and votes per §3.3(3),
and observing the provisions for secret elections and votes in §3.8.

(4) Participants of the General Assembly:
Any voting member is eligible to participate, speak, submit motions, and vote, provided they:

belong to the subdivision,
are accredited in accordance with §3.10, and
have not lost their voting rights due to payment arrears.

(5) Convening the General Assembly:
The Board of the subdivision convenes the online sessions of the General Assembly as per §3.1(2), as well as its in-person gatherings as per §3.1(3), by publishing an invitation in the Announcement Calendar under §4.3 at least two weeks before the session. According to §4.3(4), this invitation will be deemed received by the members at least seven days before the session. New members must independently check the Announcement Calendar for ongoing or scheduled General Assembly meetings.

(6) Powers of the General Assembly:
The General Assembly decides on all matters concerning the subdivision.

(7) Two-Thirds Majority in the General Assembly:
The General Assembly requires a two-thirds majority for decisions regarding:

the program, except for parts marked as immutable,
the dissolution of the subdivision, and
the merger of the subdivision.

Additionally, the General Assembly of the party requires a two-thirds majority for decisions regarding:

amendments to the statutes, excluding the purpose,
the contributions regulation,
the financial regulation, and
the arbitration regulation.

All other decisions require a simple majority.

(8) Election of Officers:
The General Assembly elects:

at least three members of the party to form the presidium of the General Assembly,
at least one party member to manage voting and counting for secret elections and votes under §3.3(3),
the Board of the subdivision,
optionally the arbitration court of the party, and
at least two members of the party to serve as financial auditors in accordance with the financial regulations.

The provisions of §3.3, §3.7, §3.8, and §3.9 apply. Members of other subdivisions may serve on the presidium, as auditors, or in election management roles.

(9) Order of Election for Identical Offices:
When electing multiple individuals for the same office, an unambiguous ranking of the elected candidates must be determined.

(10) Receipt of Activity Report:
The General Assembly receives the activity report from the Board of the subdivision.

(11) Discharge of the Board:
The General Assembly decides on the discharge of the Board of the subdivision.

(12) Establishment of Subdivisions:
The General Assembly of a subdivision convenes for the first time to establish the subdivision and formalize this by:

initiating continuous sessions,
electing an election manager,
electing a presidium,
electing a Board,
electing financial auditors,
adopting procedural rules for the General Assembly, and
approving a budget plan.

(13) Coming Into Force of Subdivision Establishment:
The establishment of a subdivision takes effect once:

minutes for all actions in (12) are published in the resolution register under §4.4, and
these minutes are submitted to the Board of the superior subdivision.

(14) Confirmation of Certain Resolutions:
Resolutions that:

amend the name, location, or area of activity in §1,
amend the principles of collaboration in §3, or
amend provisions for the General Assembly in §6.3,

…are valid only if:

they are confirmed by another identical resolution with a two-thirds majority, adopted no earlier than one week and no later than three weeks after the initial resolution, and
the initial resolution has not been overturned by a simple majority resolution of the General Assembly in the interim.

(15) Dissolution and Merger

Resolutions concerning the dissolution or merger of a subdivision are only valid once they have been confirmed in their entirety by a referendum of the members belonging to the affected subdivision with a two-thirds majority. The referendum is conducted as a named vote in accordance with §3.3 as part of the continuously online General Assembly, applying particularly the provisions of §3.7(4) and §6.3(3). Members must be notified of the referendum at least four weeks and no more than twelve weeks before its conclusion through the Announcement Calendar.

(16) Assembly Leadership by the Presidium

The General Assembly is chaired by the Presidium.

(17) Presidium Decisions in Cases of Deadlock

In cases of disagreement among members of the Presidium, the member who has held the office continuously for the longest period decides. If two or more members assumed the role simultaneously, the member ranked highest in the election under (9) holds the deciding vote.

(18) Support by the Presidium

The Presidium may appoint individuals to act on its behalf.

(19) Composition of the Presidium

The General Assembly may alter the composition of the Presidium at any time by electing a new Presidium, electing additional members, or dismissing members.

(20) Term of Presidium Members

The term of office for a Presidium member ends:

upon the election of a new Presidium,
upon the dismissal of the individual Presidium member,
upon resignation,
upon loss of eligibility to hold party and assembly offices, or
upon termination of membership.

(21) Obligation to Elect New Presidium Members

If the number of Presidium members falls below three, the General Assembly must promptly elect additional members or a completely new Presidium. An understaffed Presidium may continue to function and fulfill its responsibilities until further members are elected or a new Presidium is formed.

(22) Emergency Leadership

If the Presidium becomes unable to act, the Board of the subdivision assumes its responsibilities temporarily until a new Presidium is elected. If the subdivision’s Board is also unable to act, the Board of the next higher functioning subdivision takes over these duties temporarily.

(23) Election Management

The Election Committee manages voting and counting for secret elections and secret votes. If there is no Election Committee or all its members are recused under (27), the Presidium assumes these responsibilities.

(24) Election Committee Decisions in Cases of Deadlock

In cases of disagreement among members of the Election Committee, the member who has held the office continuously for the longest period decides. If two or more members assumed the role simultaneously, the member ranked highest in the election under (9) holds the deciding vote.

(25) Support by the Election Committee

The Election Committee may appoint individuals to assist with its tasks.

(26) Composition of the Election Committee

The General Assembly may alter the composition of the Election Committee at any time by electing a new Election Committee, electing additional members, or dismissing members.

(27) Recusal of Election Committee Members

A member may not participate in managing an election in which they are a candidate for election or dismissal, nor may they be appointed to assist the Election Committee for such an election.

(28) Term of Election Committee Members

The term of office for a member of the Election Committee ends:

upon the election of a new Election Committee,
upon the dismissal of an individual Election Committee member,
upon resignation,
upon loss of eligibility to hold party and assembly offices, or
upon termination of membership.

(29) Minutes of Continuous Sessions

The Presidium prepares monthly minutes of decisions made during continuous sessions. The minutes are signed by two members of the Presidium or by one Presidium member and one member of the subdivision’s Board.

(30) Minutes of In-Person Sessions

The Presidium prepares minutes for in-person sessions, signed by two Presidium members or by one Presidium member and one member of the subdivision’s Board.

(31) Minutes for Secret Elections and Votes

The Election Committee prepares minutes of voting and counting for secret elections and votes. These minutes must be signed by two members, of whom at least one must be a member of the Election Committee. The other signatory must either be a member of the Election Committee, the Presidium, or the subdivision’s Board.

(15) Dissolution and Merger

(16) Assembly Leadership by the Presidium

The General Assembly is chaired by the Presidium.

(17) Presidium Decisions in Cases of Deadlock

(18) Support by the Presidium

The Presidium may appoint individuals to act on its behalf.

(19) Composition of the Presidium

The General Assembly may alter the composition of the Presidium at any time by electing a new Presidium, electing additional members, or dismissing members.

(20) Term of Presidium Members

The term of office for a Presidium member ends:

upon the election of a new Presidium,
upon the dismissal of the individual Presidium member,
upon resignation,
upon loss of eligibility to hold party and assembly offices, or
upon termination of membership.

(21) Obligation to Elect New Presidium Members

(22) Emergency Leadership

(23) Election Management

(24) Election Committee Decisions in Cases of Deadlock

(25) Support by the Election Committee

The Election Committee may appoint individuals to assist with its tasks.

(26) Composition of the Election Committee

The General Assembly may alter the composition of the Election Committee at any time by electing a new Election Committee, electing additional members, or dismissing members.

(27) Recusal of Election Committee Members

A member may not participate in managing an election in which they are a candidate for election or dismissal, nor may they be appointed to assist the Election Committee for such an election.

(28) Term of Election Committee Members

The term of office for a member of the Election Committee ends:

upon the election of a new Election Committee,
upon the dismissal of an individual Election Committee member,
upon resignation,
upon loss of eligibility to hold party and assembly offices, or
upon termination of membership.

(29) Minutes of Continuous Sessions

(30) Minutes of In-Person Sessions

The Presidium prepares minutes for in-person sessions, signed by two Presidium members or by one Presidium member and one member of the subdivision’s Board.

(31) Minutes for Secret Elections and Votes

§ 6.4 Regional Assemblies

(1) Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies are meetings of members whose main residence is located within a specific area. For members without a main residence, proof of entry in the electoral register may substitute as their place of residence.

(2) Affiliation with Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies function as bodies of the lowest organizational subdivision, fully encompassing the relevant territory.

(3) Convening Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies are convened by the board of the lowest subdivision fully covering the area when no dedicated sub-organization exists for the region and when:

this is required for the nomination of electoral candidates, or
the General Assembly of the lowest subdivision fully covering the area so decides.

(4) Public Nature of Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies convene publicly.

(5) Principles of Regional Assemblies
Decision-making within Regional Assemblies adheres to the principles of the party as outlined in §3.

(6) Participants in Regional Assemblies
All voting, speaking, proposal-making, and voting rights are extended to any eligible member who:

resides in the area of the Regional Assembly,
is accredited as per §3.10, and
has not lost voting rights due to late payment.
For members without a main residence, proof of registration in the electoral roll substitutes for residence verification.

(7) Rights of Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies deliberate on candidate nominations when required and may formulate political positions relevant to their territory.

(8) Leadership of Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies may elect their own leadership. If no leadership is elected, the assembly will be chaired by the Presidium of the General Assembly of the subdivision, as specified in §6.3 (16) to (22).

(9) Election Management in Regional Assemblies
Regional Assemblies may elect their own Election Committee. If no such committee exists, the Election Committee of the General Assembly of the subdivision assumes these responsibilities, per the provisions of §6.3 (23) to (28).

(10) Dissolution of a Regional Assembly
A Regional Assembly may be dissolved:

by a simple majority vote of the General Assembly of the subdivision,
by a simple majority vote of the Regional Assembly itself, or
if a new subdivision is established under §6.1 with the same territorial scope as the Regional Assembly.

(11) Records of Regional Assemblies
The provisions of §6.3 (29) to (31) regarding meeting records also apply to Regional Assemblies. In this case, the leadership of the Regional Assembly may replace the Presidium.

§ 6.5 Board

(1) Responsibilities of the Board
The Board facilitates sessions of the General Assembly as described in §3.1, including online sessions, for the subdivision it serves. It executes its duties based on the resolutions of its subdivision’s General Assembly and resolutions from assemblies of higher subdivisions.

(2) Political Positioning by the Board
Political positions developed by the Board do not hold priority over positions developed by members and require approval from the General Assembly.

(3) Board Members
The Board comprises 3 to 5 members fulfilling the following roles, with the first three being mandatory:

Chairperson
Deputy Chairperson
Treasurer
Once the membership size allows, the following roles are added:
Spokesperson
Secretary

(4) Areas of Responsibility for Board Members
Board members are elected by the General Assembly to oversee:

representation of the subdivision’s political will externally,
representation within the subdivision and to higher subdivisions,
management of financial matters in accordance with §23 of the German Political Parties Act (PartG), and
the operation of the subdivision’s technical infrastructure if applicable.

(5) Representation Responsibilities
Until the spokesperson role is filled, a board member holding the Chairperson’s position under §9(4) of the German Political Parties Act will represent the subdivision externally. Internally, representation responsibilities are delegated to the Deputy Chairperson.

(6) Succession within the Board
For each role specified in (3), including the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson, additional candidates are elected to serve as successors. The highest-ranking candidate assumes the role. If an incumbent steps down or declines to serve, the next-highest ranked candidate takes the position.

(7) Role Exclusivity in Succession
While candidates may be elected for multiple roles, they can only serve in one capacity at a time. Once a member holds a role, they cannot succeed to another until they vacate their current role.

(8) Temporary Succession
A board member may temporarily vacate their position for up to 100 days, during which the next-highest ranked candidate will fill the role temporarily.

(9) Delegation of Responsibilities
The Board or individual board members may delegate specific tasks to appointees who act on their behalf.

(10) Right to Submit Proposals to the Board
Proposals may be submitted to the Board by:

any board member,
the subdivision’s General Assembly,
any Regional Assembly within the subdivision,
members of the boards of directly subordinate subdivisions,
directly subordinate subdivisions’ General Assemblies, and
appointees, presidium members, election committee members, or arbitration tribunals of the subdivision.

(11) Individual Representation
Board members have individual authority over their respective areas of responsibility. However, majority board resolutions take precedence.

(12) Board Elections
The Board is re-elected annually or as decided by the General Assembly. Individual roles may also be reassigned during the term. Annual elections remain mandatory even when all board members are replaced incrementally.

(13) End of Board Membership
Board membership ends upon:

election of a new board,
reassignment of their role,
dismissal,
resignation,
disqualification from holding party offices, or
termination of party membership.

(14) Minimum Board Membership
If neither the Chairperson, Deputy Chairperson, nor Treasurer roles are filled, or the Board drops below three members, the General Assembly must promptly elect a new board.

(15) Re-Election
Board members may be re-elected.

(16) Board Compensation
The General Assembly may approve compensation for Board members.

(17) Office and Mandate
Elected representatives may serve on the Board.

§ 6.6 Candidate Nominations for Elections

(1) Future Development
This section will be developed after the party’s founding and registration in the federal election register, following the “Guidelines for Candidate Nominations for Federal Elections” provided by the Federal Returning Officer.

§ 6.7 Financial Regulations

§ 6.7.1 Responsibilities

(1) Roles:
The party organizes its financial affairs as follows:

Treasurer Function: Manages the party’s finances and is responsible for acquiring financial resources.
Finance Council: Advises the party on all financial matters, adopts resolutions, connects financial officers, and develops measures to enhance financial stability across all subdivisions.

(2) Fiscal Prudence:
The party adheres to the principles of prudent fiscal management. The Treasurer Function ensures necessary measures are implemented.

§ 6.7.2 Financial Planning

(1) Budget Plan:
The Treasurer Function drafts a budget plan for each fiscal year (calendar year).

(2) Approval:
The budget plan requires approval by the Federal Party Congress. Until approved, the Treasurer Function adheres to preliminary budgetary principles.

(3) Budget Titles:
If the Federal Party Congress approves expenditures, corresponding budget titles are created. Expenditures without budgetary titles may only be made after reallocation of an existing budget title, subject to Finance Council approval.

§ 6.7.3 Membership Fees

(1) Fee Amount:
Membership fees are set at €12 per year.

(2) Payment Period:
Membership fees are paid annually.

(3) Activation:
Membership becomes active for one year upon receipt of the membership fee and after a one-time accreditation (whichever occurs later).

(4) Reminders:
Members are reminded electronically about due payments three times: six weeks, three weeks, and one day before the due date.

§ 6.7.4 Contributions

(1) Donations:
The party may accept donations under § 25(1), sentences 3 and 4 of the Political Parties Act (PartG). Prohibited donations under § 25 PartG must be returned. If return is impossible, such donations will be forwarded to the German Bundestag without delay.

(2) Inheritances:
The party may accept inheritances and bequests without limitation, provided they do not create disadvantages for the party.

(3) Reporting Donations:
Donations exceeding €50,000 must be reported to the German Bundestag immediately.

(4) Donation Documentation:
Donations exceeding €10,000 per year must be listed in the annual financial report, including the donor’s name and address.

(5) Donation Receipts:
The Treasurer Function issues donation receipts.

§ 6.7.5 Public Funds

(1) Application for Funds:
The Treasurer Function applies annually at the end of January for disbursement of public funds, provided eligibility is established.

§ 6.7.6 Expenditures

(1) Authorization:
All financial transactions require board approval and must align with the financial and budgetary plans. Obligations not covered in the budget are prohibited. Party funds may only be used for statutory purposes as defined in § 24(5) PartG.

(2) Loans:
Board approval is required for all loans.

(3) Authority:
The Treasurer Function manages the budget and may approve expenditures up to €5,000. Expenditures exceeding this amount require board approval.

(4) Definition of Expenditures:
Expenditures include all transactions reducing the party’s financial assets, including monetary payments, non-cash benefits, and use of revenues under § 26(1) sentence 2 PartG.

§ 6.7.7 Costs

(1) Reimbursement of Costs:
Necessary expenses incurred through public elections, office activities, candidacy, or assignments are reimbursed upon application and submission of required documentation.

(2) Guidelines:
The Federal Executive Board determines reimbursement policies, adhering to principles of proportionality and appropriateness. Reimbursement amounts follow the Federal Travel Expenses Act or remain below tax-exempt limits.

§ 6.7.8 Payment Transactions

(1) Cashless Operations:
All financial transactions are processed cashlessly via party accounts, including accounts with payment service providers.

(2) Authority:
The Treasurer Function and authorized members of the Federal Executive Board manage payments.

§ 6.7.9 Accounting

(1) Principles:
The party maintains financial records in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. An annual financial report is prepared per the Fifth Section of the Political Parties Act.

§ 6.7.10 Financial Audits

(1) Inspection Rights:
Board members may inspect financial records, cash, and accounts at any time.

(2) Audit Requirement:
The party’s financial records are audited annually by elected financial auditors under § 9(5) PartG.

(3) Appointment:
Three auditors are elected annually at the Party Congress in a non-secret vote.

(4) Independence:
Board members and officeholders are excluded from serving as auditors.

(5) Audit Standards:
Audits assess financial management practices and adherence to budgetary discipline.

(6) Access to Information:
Auditors may request any necessary information from the board of the audited subdivision.

§ 6.7.11 Financial Reporting

(1) Submission to the Bundestag:
The Treasurer Function ensures timely submission of the financial report to the German Bundestag by the first quarter of each year, per § 23(2) sentence 3 PartG.

§ 6.7.12 Finance Council

(1) Chair:
The Treasurer Function chairs the Finance Council.

(2) Responsibilities:
The tasks and responsibilities of the Finance Council include:

Advising the party on all financial matters;
Jointly preparing financial resolutions for the Federal Party Congress alongside the Treasurer Function;
Approving reallocations of budget titles for the federal subdivision.

(3) Frequency:
The Finance Council typically convenes annually in preparation for the Federal Party Congress. Additionally, it can be convened on an extraordinary basis at the request of the Treasurer Function or a quarter of its members.

(4) Resolutions:
The Finance Council adopts resolutions with at least a majority of its members. In the event of a tie, the Chair casts the deciding vote.

(5) Rules of Procedure:
The Finance Council adopts its own rules of procedure with a two-thirds majority of its members.

(6) Formation:
The Finance Council convenes for the first time when it has at least three members.

§ 6.8 Arbitration Tribunal

(1) Establishment:
An Arbitration Tribunal is established upon request.

(2) Details:
This section will be developed as needed in specific cases.

§ 7 Disciplinary Measures

§ 7.1 Disciplinary Measures Against Members

(1) Nature of Collaboration:
Members of the party have voluntarily joined to work together toward the purpose outlined in §2 and to adhere to the principles of this statute.

(2) Actions Detrimental to the Party:
A member who:

Acts contrary to the purpose of the party as defined in §2,
Violates this statute, or
Breaches the obligations outlined in §5.4,
disrupts party collaboration and causes harm to the party.

(3) Repeated Detrimental Actions:
A member who continues to act as described in (2) despite previously imposed disciplinary measures significantly disrupts party collaboration and causes severe harm to the party.

(4) False Statements:
A member who provides false information to the party or its bodies undermines the trust of all members and the public, causing harm to the party.

(5) Warning:
A member who has disrupted party collaboration as per (2) may be issued a warning by the board of the subdivision to which they belong.

(6) Revocation of Office Eligibility:
A member causing severe harm to the party may have their eligibility for party and assembly offices revoked by a resolution of the board of the subdivision to which they belong.

(7) Expulsion:
A member who:

Has disrupted party collaboration as per (3), or
Has acted as described in (4),
may be expelled from the party.

(8) Application for Expulsion:
Expulsion is requested by the board of the subdivision to which the member belongs, submitted to the Arbitration Tribunal of the respective state association. If no state association exists for the member’s residential area, the board submits the expulsion request to the party’s Arbitration Tribunal.

(9) Decision on Expulsion:
The Arbitration Tribunal to which the expulsion request is submitted decides on the expulsion.

(10) Precedence of Higher Boards:
If a higher-level board imposes a disciplinary measure, any measures imposed by a lower-level board on the same matter against the same member are retroactively nullified. A lower-level board may not impose disciplinary measures on the same matter if a higher-level board has already acted.

(11) Measures Against Office Holders:
A lower-level board cannot impose disciplinary measures or request expulsion for a member holding office in a higher-level subdivision.

(12) Right to Appeal:
Affected members may file an appeal against a disciplinary measure imposed by a board with the Arbitration Tribunal.

§ 7.2 Disciplinary Measures Against Subdivisions

(1) Warning:
If a subdivision violates the statute, the board or the assembly of a higher-level subdivision may issue a warning to the offending subdivision.

(2) Dissolution:
If a subdivision repeatedly or continuously violates the statute or higher law, causing severe harm to the party, or if it persists in violations for over a year despite warnings, the assembly of a higher-level subdivision may resolve to dissolve the subdivision.

(3) Membership Retention:
Members of a dissolved subdivision retain their party membership unless they are expelled following the procedure outlined in §7.1(7).

(4) Dissolution of Subordinate Subdivisions:
When a subdivision is dissolved, all its subordinate subdivisions are also dissolved.

(5) Removal of the Board:
The board of a dissolved subdivision is immediately removed from office upon resolution of its dissolution. Appeals to the Arbitration Tribunal do not suspend this removal.

(6) Liquidation:
The board of the higher-level subdivision assumes management of the dissolved subdivision’s affairs.

(7) Right to Appeal:
Members of a dissolved subdivision may appeal the dissolution within 14 days. Final dissolution can occur only after this period has elapsed or, in the case of an appeal, after a decision by the Arbitration Tribunal.

(8) Jurisdiction:
The party’s Arbitration Tribunal handles the dissolution of state associations, while the Arbitration Tribunal of the respective state association handles other subdivisions.

§ 8 Severability Clause

(1) Validity Despite Invalid Provisions:
If any provision of this statute is found to be wholly or partially unlawful or invalid, the remaining provisions remain unaffected. The statute should be applied in a manner consistent with its intent.

(2) Replacement of Invalid Provisions:
If invalidity arises from a performance or time provision, the statutory allowable measure replaces it.

(3) Amendment of the Statute:
Unlawful or invalid provisions must be promptly replaced or removed through a resolution of the assembly.

Imprint:
Europeans for the Planet – Party for Europe’s Role in the World
Dr. Horst Walther
Beim Schillingstift 50
22589 Hamburg