POLITICS EU parties must be `trans-national'

The European Union will only survive if political leaders, such as the German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, club together to form new, trans- national political parties, according to a new pamphlet from the Demos think-tank.

Its author, Mark Leonard, says there is sufficient evidence from the operations of the European Parliament that the parties in the different members states have enough in common to band together.

The loosely-knit Democrat Party in the US could be a model for new pan- European formations. The new European parties could make themselves attractive by offering credit cards, health and life insurance.

Politics Without Frontiers, by Mark Leonard, pounds 9.95, from Demos, 9 Bridewell Place, London EC4V 6AP. David Walker