In the framework of the European Ombudsman’s inquiry, opened following a complaint by European Democracy Consulting (EDC), the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF) provided its reply to the complaint. Upon proposal from the Ombudsman, European Democracy Consulting provided its comments of this reply.
On 26 June 2020, European Democracy Consulting lodged an official complaint to the Office of the European Ombudsman in relation to the failure of the Authority for European Political Parties and European Political Foundations (APPF) to implement its transparency requirements under EU Regulation 1141/2014 on the statute and funding of European political parties and European political foundations. …
On 24 September, the European Parliament’s committee for constitutional affairs held a hearing on transnational lists and the Spitzenkandidaten system.
Ahead of this hearing, Alberto Alemanno, Giorgio Clarotti, Olivier Costa and Christophe Leclercq argued, in a column published by EURACTIV, that transnational lists “would make it possible to run truly European campaigns”.
Unfortunately, and while transnational lists would not make elections less European, they would not remedy their core deficiency: that national parties control electoral programmes. They are, therefore, not the reform we need to make this election truly European, engage citizens, and bring MEPs closer to their concerns.
Instead of a mere band-aid, let us engage on a bold reform — with local electoral districts and proportional vote on European party member state lists — and make this election truly European.
Read more in my new tribune on Euractiv:
https://www.euractiv.com/section/future-eu/opinion/making-european-elections-truly-european/
Image Credit: Julien Warnand/EPA-EFE
If the Council’s agreement on a package for the EU’s top jobs is, in itself, good news, there remains much to be skeptical about and the Council’s behaviour may constitute the original sin plaguing a von der Leyen Commission.
Last week, the European Council put an end to its marathon of negotiations and, over a month after the European elections, proposed a list of nominees for the EU’s top jobs. …
Nationalist parties all across the EU have long been feeding off the Union’s lack of democracy and are bound to jump on the way the new leaders of EU institutions are elected to reinforce their message.
Let us seize this opportunity to strengthen our European democracy and finally allow the European Parliament to choose the President of the European Commission!
Read all about it in my new tribune on Euractiv:
Image Credit: Patrick Seeger/EPA/EFE
Comment remédier à la méfiance des citoyens envers leurs élus ? Comment renforcer nos processus démocratiques ? Une première mesure est de revoir nos modes d’élections pour Mieux voter.
Lisez la suite dans ma nouvelle tribune publiée par l’Opinion !
How democratic really is the EU? What are the threats to our European democracy and what can we do to strengthen it?
Read all about it in my new publication on Friends of Europe’s “Europe’s World”:
https://www.friendsofeurope.org/insights/the-importance-of-building-a-european-democracy/
Image Credit: European Council President/Flickr
La revue EUROPÉENS publie en ce moment son second numéro !
Partant du constat que l’Europe est un sujet tabou, elle vise à forger un espace de discussion allant de la culture à l’éducation, de l’entreprenariat à l’innovation, et du social au politique. Le tout avec véritable volonté créatrice et optimiste.
La revue s’ouvre aussi aux points de vue de chercheurs, penseurs et journalistes. Je suis ravi d’y avoir publié une tribune sur la construction européenne par les citoyens et le rôle des partis politique.
Rendez-vous donc en kiosque ou sur europeens.net !
“It’s the economy, stupid.” C’est du moins ce que dit l’expression. Les électeurs se soucient de leur vie quotidienne : occupez-vous d’eux, assurez-vous que l’économie fonctionne et qu’ils ont des emplois bien rémunérés. Voilà la clé de la plupart des campagnes électorales.
Bien sûr, d’autres thèmes clés sont disponibles : la santé (et plus généralement le système social), la sécurité, l’immigration, voire — signe du temps — l’environnement. Tous des domaines politiques essentiels sur lesquels les électeurs ont facilement une opinion et auxquels ils peuvent être réceptifs lors de campagnes électorales.
A l’inverse, la démocratie n’est jamais un sujet d’actualité, jamais le cœur d’un discours, jamais un gros titre ou au centre d’un programme électoral. Les électeurs s’en fichent : ils n’en comprennent pas les subtilités ou les implications, ils ne saisissent pas la pertinence de la question ou l’impact sur leur vie, ils n’écoutent pas les explications et commencent à somnoler. …
“It’s the economy, stupid.” Or so the political wisdom goes. Voters care about their daily life: cater for them, make sure the economy works, and that they have good-paying jobs. Herein lies the basis of many electoral campaigns.
Of course, several other key topics can be identified: healthcare (and welfare, more generally), security, immigration, even — sign of the times — the environment. All important policy fields that voters easily have an opinion on and can be receptive about on the campaign trail.
Conversely, democracy is never a hot topic, never the centrepiece of a speech, never a major headline or the core of a programme. Voters do not care: they do not understand the subtleties or implications, they do not grasp the relevance of the issue or the impact on their life, they will tune out from the explanation and start to doze. …
President Trump is engaged in protracted trade battles with friends and foes alike to pursue American interests. What if it worked? Ultimately, the question of the means is as important — if not more — than the end result. Nothing less than our future is at stake.
“Does the end justify the means?” This question has long been a staple of politics, in particular in the realm of international relations. Arguments can be made back and forth, and examples given for and against. …
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