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Cameron wanted an emergency brake on immigration; he got an emergency brake on benefits. I don't think he tried to make the commission more democratic, or enabl
by barrkel 8y ago
Cameron wanted an emergency brake on immigration; he got an emergency brake on benefits. I don't think he tried to make the commission more democratic, or enable EU parliament to propose legislation, and I'm pretty sure he didn't try to create any unifying executive head elected from across the whole population.
National governments are jealous of their powers, and fearful that the lightweight EU parliament would just be a tool of lobbyists rather than responsive to citizens, that citizens wouldn't be engaged with their representatives. And in many ways they're right. But it's a Catch-22: the EU parliament will remain a bunch of lightweights for as long as it has little power.
The EU definitely has a bunch of problems. Top of the list is democratic back-sliding in Hungary, Poland, Romania. And Euro area fiscal union or some other mechanism of fixing economic imbalances under monetary union without needing pro-cyclical austerity and depreciation. And migration from Middle East and Africa. And USA's pivot towards unenlightened self-interest and Russia's reawakened regional power-plays. Brexit is a fair ways down the list at this point for the rest of the EU, much less democratic reform, alas.
- petre 8y agoThe EP and EC are by no means lightweights as long as any act voted or adopted by them becomes law, with the obligation of nation states to ratify it and transpose into national laws and regulations. The fiscal union was flawed from the onset, which is why Margaret Tatcher opposed the UK joining the Eurozone. And she was right to do so. https://youtu.be/5TPpuIslzG4 https://youtu.be/5TPpuIslzG4 People in Poland, Hungary and Romania should fight for democracy, as opposed to waiting for the EU to fix their problems. Democracy is won in the street, it isn't granted by decree.
- barrkel 8y agoI think the monetary union is a step in faith. Flawed, yes, because it's not enough, not because it shouldn't be done. EU is built out of crises etc.
- saati 8y agoHow is Hungary not democratic? Fidesz won 3 times in a row, and the election system is more fair than FPTP, they aren't banning or killing the opposition. While I don't like their policies, this is what the people want and this is what democracy in eastern europe looks like.
- petre 8y agoThis is not what democracy looks like in Eastern Europe. Instead, this is how democracy goes off the rails and is replaced by something else. I agree with Fidesz's anti immigration stance, but I what I don't agree with is eroding democracy. Romania is practically led by crooks who also got elected democratically. Now they're eroding democracy and the judicial and giving themselves a get out of jail free ticket.
- barrkel 8y ago> How is Hungary not democratic? Fidesz won 3 times in a row The 20th century was filled with dictators that won election repeatedly. Winning election repeatedly isn't the hallmark of democracy; peaceful and regular transfer of power is much more indicative. In any case, democracy is about far more than simply winning elections. Protection of minorities, apolitical rule of law, independent media. Hungary is regressing badly across the board. https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-viktor-orbans-war-on-george-soros-and-hungarys-jews/ https://www.theglobeandmail.com/opinion/article-viktor-orban... https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hungary-viktor-orban-courts-rule-of-law-authoritarian-human-rights-justice-minister-a8679886.html https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/europe/hungary-vikt... https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/world/europe/hungary-orban-media.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/29/world/europe/hungary-orba...