Brussels, 28/05/2002 (Agence Europe) - Federalist Voice, a network of twelve organisations in favour of a European Federal Constitution, protests against the decisions taken by the Convention Praesidium on civil society hearings. It considers that "none of the seven thematic Contact Groups actually relate to the general interest of Europeans for more democratic and efficient EU institutions which are closer to the citizens". Criticising this vision of a "compartmentalised public European space" which can "only increase corporatist demands", the Network called for an eighth Contact Group on "European Democracy and Citizenship". Members include: the Union of European Federalists, the European Movement, the Permanent Forum of the Civil Society, the Intergroup European Constitution within the European Parliament, the European Young Socialists, the European Left, the Liberal and Radical Youth Movement of the EU, the European League for Economic Cooperation, and Réalités européennes du présent.