Goals of the Central Round Table (December 7, 1989) The Central Round Table [Zentrale Runde Tisch] was founded in East Berlin on December 7, 1989. It was a forum in which members of crumbling Communist organizations (e.g., the Socialist Unity Party, block parties, trade unions, and the women’s league, etc.) came together with representatives of the popular citizens’ movements (e.g., Democracy Now, Democratic Awakening, the Greens, the Initiative for Peace and Human Rights, the New Forum, the Social Democratic Party of Germany, and the United Left) to discuss and advance reforms in the GDR.
print version     return to document list previous document      next document
page 1 of 2 The participants in the Round Table are meeting out of their profound concern for our deeply crisis-ridden country, for its independence, and its long-term development. They demand the disclosure of the ecological, economic, and financial situation of our country. Although the Round Table can exercise no parliamentary or governmental function, it wishes to turn to the public with proposals for overcoming the crisis. It demands that it be informed of, and included in, important legal, economic, and financial policy decisions in a timely fashion by the Volkskammer and the government. It sees itself as a contributor to public monitoring in our country. It plans to continue its activities until free, democratic, and secret elections are held. [ . . . ] The following agreements have been reached: Drafting a New Constitution 1.The participants in the Round Table agree to start developing a draft of a new constitution immediately. 2.To this end they will appoint a working group with proportional representation that will get started immediately and will include additional citizens as needed. 3. The participants in the Round Table agree that approval of this new constitution will take place in a referendum in 1990 following the Volkskammer elections. 4. The constitutional amendments required for holding new elections are to be developed without delay. 5. The participants in the Round Table take note of the offer to participate in a corresponding committee of the Volkskammer and will reach a decision about their participation independently. Election Date The Round Table recommends holding the election to the Volkskammer on May 6, 1990. Formation of working groups The Round Table has decided to form working groups, to which it will appoint two conveners each. 1. Electoral law 2. Law on parties and associations 3. New constitution (see resolution above) 4. Economy
first page	< previous   |   next >	last page