As provided for by the Treaty of Lisbon, the promoters of the participatory democratic initiative “One of us” have to collect one million signatures in at least seven European countries for the European Commission to give a hearing to and plan any legal act to recognize the request made by the citizens.
In this case, the “One of Us” initiative is particularly significant because it asks for a recognition of life from the moment of conception.
In an interview with ZENIT, Mr. Carlo Casini, President of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and President of the Italian Movement for Life (MPV), explained that with the “One of Us” initiative, the European Parliament is being asked to commit to not granting more funds for programs contrary to life.
In particular, Casini has asked to block the funds awarded to organizations that promote and practice abortion in developing countries and beyond.
“Unfortunately,” said Casini, “Europe today is funding scientific research that destroys and manipulates embryos, funds international groups touting abortion, proposes voluntary interruption of pregnancy as a solution to the health problems of women.”
“I think,” added the President of the MPV, “that with the recognition of life from the moment of conception, Europe’s policies would shift in favor of unborn life.”
When asked why a citizen should be interested in signing the “One of Us” petition, Casini said that it was a necessity to stop the slaughter of the innocents that every year sees more than 1.2 million among the boys and girls conceived prevented from being born, and an opportunity for Europe to return to being the continent of the right to life.
For the President of the MPV, the mobilization of European citizens for the recognition of human life from conception is already producing good results, with the coordination of the movements for life and for the family in different countries.
For Casini, the debate sparked by the “One of Us” initiative is spurring a cultural and social progress in Europe and in the world. “What’s at issue is the recognition of the dignity of the human being,” he stressed.
The President of the MPV concluded that “With the commitment not to finance the educational, cultural and health initiatives that promote abortion and with the recognition of human life from conception, Europe would give an important signal to the whole world.”
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On the NET:
To subscribe to the “One of Us” initiative click on the link: https://ec.europa.eu/citizens-initiative/ECI-2012-000005/public/signup.do
