Name

§ 1 Nordic Green Left Alliance (NGLA)

Political platform

§ 2. NGLA continues and develops the existing co-operation between the green left parties of the Nordic countries. The Alliance is based on the fundamental socialist values of democracy, freedom and equality. Its purpose is to advance and strengthen the common work for social justice, gender equality, sustainable development, international solidarity, human rights and peace, nationally as well as internationally. The Alliance is a co-operation between independent and sovereign parties.

Membership

§ 3. Founding members of NGLA are Socialistisk Folkeparti (Socialist Peoples Party), Denmark, Vasemmistoliitto/Vänsterförbundet (Left Alliance), Finland, Sosialistisk Venstreparti (Left Socialist Party), Norway, Vänsterpartiet (Left Party), Sweden, and the Left-Green Movement in Iceland (VG).

§ 4. Any green left party that subscribes to the political platform contained in § 2 and accepts these statutes can become a member by unanimous decision by the members, based on prior investigation and discussion.

§ 5. Other parties and organisations might be invited to become Observers to the Alliance by unanimous decision by the members.

Structures and decision making bodies

§ 6. The General Meeting is the highest-ranking body of the Alliance. It is constituted by the chairpersons and party secretaries – or other appointed representatives – of the member parties.

§ 7. The General Meeting is convened annually.

§ 8. In the General Meeting decisions every member party has one vote.

§ 9. The General Meeting

a) appoints one member party to be Chairing Party until and including the next General Meeting. The task as Chairing Party is rotated among the member parties.

b) adopts a Plan of Action and a budget for the period until the next General Meeting.

c) appoints an Executive Committee, consisting of one Chairperson nominated by the Chairing Party, and members, nominated by the other member parties, one of each.

§ 10. The Executive Committee decides in all matters between the General Meetings. It plans and convenes thematic meetings for representatives of the member parties, appoints ad hoc working groups etc. in accordance with the Plan of Action .

§ 11. All decisions of political importance, such as Political Platform, Plan of Action, budget and political resolutions, are made with unanimity, but in order to avoid that the co-operation is unnecessary obstructed it can be decided that decisions on organisational and less principal matters are taken with majority.

§ 12. Minutes should be taken at all decision-making meetings. The minutes should be sent to the participants in the meeting concerned after being approved by the chairperson of the meeting.

International co-operation

§ 13. The Alliance aims at widest possible co-operation with other progressive and democratic forces, movements and parties in Europe, as well as in the rest of the World.

§ 14. Parliamentarians from the member parties are expected to join the same groups in international Parliamentarian institutions like the Nordic Council, The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, The European Parliament etc.

Administration and finances

§ 15. The Executive Committee is responsible for organising necessary administrative services, including financial administration.

§ 16. Costs for General Meetings, Executive Committee meetings and other activities, as well as costs for administrative services, are divided among the member parties according to principles agreed upon.

§ 18. The Executive Committee presents a budget and an annual financial report to the General Meeting.

Areas of work

§ 19. The Alliance aims at creating co-operation in the following fields:
· common political initiatives
· joint political statements
· exchange of information and ideas
· common seminars, study tours, etc.
· co-operation between parliamentarians in international parliamentary institutions
· joint representation in and co-operation with movements around the world

Suspension and expulsion

§ 20. A member party can be suspended from the decision making bodies or expelled from the Alliance if it seriously violates its statutes and political aims. The member party facing suspension or expulsion should be given opportunity to comment all accusations made against it, but it cannot take part in the decision.

Changes of statutes

§ 21. Changes of these statutes are decided by the General Meeting with consensus after the issue has been debated in each member party.

Dissolution of the Alliance

§ 22. The dissolution of the Alliance requires two identical decisions on two consecutive General Meetings. Any assets of the Alliance should at the time of the dissolution be divided among the member parties according to their financial contributions.

Reykjavik, 1st February 2004.