It has real power, it has to approve almost all legislation before it becomes law. It has no initiative and can only act on proposals from the European Commissi

It has real power, it has to approve almost all legislation before it becomes law. It has no initiative and can only act on proposals from the European Commission (for new laws, or repealing old laws, or amending them), which while not directly democratic, has all its members nominated by the governments of EU member states (themselves elected) and confirmed by the EU parliament. Democracy can be slightly more complex than direct democracy without being a sham like "elections in the USSR".