Patriots for Europe Secure Major Win in Brussels, Putting National Parliaments Back at the Heart of European Democracy
Brussels, 05/11/2025 - The Patriots for Europe group scored an important victory today in the European Parliament, as the Committee on Constitutional Affairs (AFCO) adopted the report on subsidiarity and proportionality drafted by Dutch MEP Marieke Ehlers (Party for Freedom – PVV) by 17 votes in favour, 13 against and no abstentions.
The report represents a major step toward bringing decision-making closer to citizens – a long-standing priority for Patriots for Europe. It calls for stronger national oversight, less Brussels bureaucracy, and a more democratic balance between the Union and its Member States.
The new text goes beyond principles and proposes practical tools that will make cooperation between European and national lawmakers more efficient and transparent.
Rapporteur Ms Ehlers underlined that “EU action must always respect subsidiarity and proportionality, ensuring that decisions are made as close to citizens as possible.” She added that “it also means that the EU should only legislate in cases where action at European level adds real value.”
Ehlers stressed that “the report calls for strengthening the role of national parliaments, demanding earlier consultation, greater transparency, and more effective tools to hold EU institutions accountable.” “With this report,” she concluded, “Parliament sends a clear message: better lawmaking in Europe means less bureaucracy, more democracy, and guarantees the balance between the Union and its Member States.”
For Patriots for Europe, this adoption is not only an institutional milestone but also a political breakthrough – and another break of the so-called cordon sanitaire. It confirms that the group can lead on complex institutional reforms, build cross-party support, and deliver concrete results that strengthen democratic legitimacy.
This success also reflects Patriots for Europe’s commitment to a Europe that works for and with its citizens – one where Brussels listens, national democracies lead, and lawmaking serves people rather than bureaucracy.
The report will now move to the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg (24–27 November 2025) for debate and final vote.