2 ms·

Because that's what autocracies in anything but name usually do. Who's going to stop them?

by paganel 11mo ago

maybewhenthesun 11mo ago
The EU is more of a bureaucracy than a real autocracy. Lots of members with veto powers and the like. There is a lot wrong with the EU (the system). Opaque power structures, backroom deals, corruption. But I wouldn't call it an autocracy.
- paganel 11mo ago
  > Lots of members with veto powers and the like. Similar to the Political Bureau in former communist countries, but still an autocracy. > But I wouldn't call it an autocracy. It has most certainly started to walk and quack a lot like an autocratic duck, it wasn't the case 10 to 15 years ago, or not as visible, to say the least, but the pandemic and this recent war in Ukraine have changed that.
  - maybewhenthesun 11mo ago
    I'd go along with 'authoritarian' . But autocrat implies people holding on to power/ consolidating power outside the system. The EC is still democratically chosen, albeit indirectly. There is no real sign (yet) of the stretching of term limits common for autocrats.
- ekianjo 11mo ago
  Aristocracy is the correct word
oblio 11mo ago
The EU Parliament, that has to vote to pass the law. Let's be better at commenting than Libertatea, circa 2010 (or The Daily Mail, for international readers).
- paganel 11mo ago
  The EU Parliament is a lame-duck thing, we both know that, let’s not pretend that this won’t pass at some point. It’s also not a parliament by definition, as it cannot propose any legislative measure, it can only propose “resolutions”, this is as lame-duck as it gets.
  - oblio 11mo ago
    But it can block laws. Which matters. Just like in this case. And guess what, national governments are the ones blocking the European Parliament from proposing laws, the EP has proposed multiple times that it be allowed to laws. So EU member states themselves are the ones that don't want the EP to become a full blown parliament.

Because that's what autocracies in anything but name usually do. Who's going to stop them?

by paganel 11mo ago

Because that's what autocracies in anything but name usually do. Who's going to stop them?

The EU is more of a bureaucracy than a real autocracy. Lots of members with veto powers and the like. There is a lot wrong with the EU (the system). Opaque power structures, backroom deals, corruption. But I wouldn't call it an autocracy.

paganel 11mo ago
> Lots of members with veto powers and the like. Similar to the Political Bureau in former communist countries, but still an autocracy. > But I wouldn't call it an autocracy. It has most certainly started to walk and quack a lot like an autocratic duck, it wasn't the case 10 to 15 years ago, or not as visible, to say the least, but the pandemic and this recent war in Ukraine have changed that.
- maybewhenthesun 11mo ago
  I'd go along with 'authoritarian' . But autocrat implies people holding on to power/ consolidating power outside the system. The EC is still democratically chosen, albeit indirectly. There is no real sign (yet) of the stretching of term limits common for autocrats.
ekianjo 11mo ago
Aristocracy is the correct word

oblio 11mo ago

The EU Parliament, that has to vote to pass the law. Let's be better at commenting than Libertatea, circa 2010 (or The Daily Mail, for international readers).

paganel 11mo ago
The EU Parliament is a lame-duck thing, we both know that, let’s not pretend that this won’t pass at some point. It’s also not a parliament by definition, as it cannot propose any legislative measure, it can only propose “resolutions”, this is as lame-duck as it gets.
- oblio 11mo ago
  But it can block laws. Which matters. Just like in this case. And guess what, national governments are the ones blocking the European Parliament from proposing laws, the EP has proposed multiple times that it be allowed to laws. So EU member states themselves are the ones that don't want the EP to become a full blown parliament.