And to put this into perspective, the European Parliament doesn't even suggest/propose laws that will have any actual effect on the people that have voted for them (leaving aside for a moment the fact that almost no-one knows who he/she votes for when it comes to the European Elections), it's the un-elected European Commission and the European Council that does that, the European Parliament acts just like a rubber-stamp entity.
This came as a surprise to me because I have only learned about it recently (during the last year or so), even though I've been voting in the European elections ever since my country joined the EU (in 2007). And I liked to think of myself as reasonably well-versed when it comes to politics, and, as such, I'm pretty sure the majority of the European electorate doesn't know that basic thing either. I mean, it's the European Parliament, no? They're the ones who suggest and propose laws, no? That's why we elected them there, no?
I won't caracterise nigel farage in the UK as being entirely of sound mind but he was single minded in his political career. He highlighted this very strongly to the british people and several political lobies within the UK which is why there was background political support for a referrendum.
There was, and is, a feeling of being cut out of the loop with regard to the EP not having enough powers to override the EC which has only really grown in strength since it was founded, which is a shame. I'm guessing the point of this was to introduce checks/balances but instead it's been open to abuse and ended up with the EC weilding most of the power whilst jumping on planes and visiting most of the Euopean high-life travelling in limos through the slums. (And by that I encourage anyone to visit Brussles and walk around 5miles from where the EU decides to sit to see an example of a bit of an ivory tower)
I'm not for a moment saying voting in all countries is correct, I'm not saying first past the post is the only system. But there was little ability for EC members. It's the EP who broadly have their hands tied and are intended to be the ones who go back to their citizens and get voted out of position very quickly when things go wrong.
> This came as a surprise to me because I have only learned about it recently (during the last year or so), even though I've been voting in the European elections ever since my country joined the EU (in 2007). And I liked to think of myself as reasonably well-versed when it comes to politics, and, as such, I'm pretty sure the majority of the European electorate doesn't know that basic thing either. I mean, it's the European Parliament, no? They're the ones who suggest and propose laws, no? That's why we elected them there, no?
I don't know, i was taught this in high school (my country also joined in 2007), and I've never been left with the impression that people I've discussed EU laws with are unaware of how power is shared in the EU.
However, the EU parliament is not a rubber stamp. There's a wide variety of political leanings represented in it ( up until a few years ago 1/4 were from anti-EU parties). Proposals often get rejected or amended:
I’ve read a statistics that in 2016 it was approving 97% of the law proposals coming from the Commission.
In 2007 I was already employed, with no connection to school whatsoever, I’d say people like me still form the majority when it comes to European Ellections (i.e. people who think that the national parliament and the European one are pretty much the same when it comes to their nature)
Maybe the younger generations will be more knowledgeable when it comes to continent-wide political movements, even though I have major doubts about that (they’re less politically involved than we were, for example).
I saw it mentioned in this Perry Anderson book [1], I'll have to find the physical book that is hidden somewhere behind other books in a corner of my living room and find the exact page. I'll see what I can do but I don't promise anything :)
Oh the delicious irony, although up until recently they were willing to engage with erdogan right up until his own night of the long knives which ended up putting the silos on high alert.
Yep, and this is one of the major sticking points among the educated people in the UK who voted for brexit.
This may sit well with some, but not with others. It has almost certainly created a large political divide close to the philosphical lines of the role of govenment being either to rule or to govern.
It's a technocracy, officials are selected.