[EU/NL] Political parties: direct vote?
By hayke. Sunday, 2. April 2006, 08:22:34
The European Union can be seen as a political level above the national government. In fact, it has some federal influences but it isn't a federation. It seems more to be(come) a confederation. However this is a small difference to ordinary people, the bottom-line is important here: Where European countries have now two or (usually) three layers of government (e.g. in Holland: gemeenten and provincies and the national government, or in Germany Gemeinder and Länder and the federational government, or in France régions and départements and the national government), there will be (already is) placed a fourth layer on top: the european level.
So far, so good. We can be happy with it, or not, but it is already there. I've always wondered about one particular thing: the democratic deficit. It's quiet weird: If I compare the democratic level of The Netherlands to that of Europe, there is a big difference. To this regard I'm merely considering the ways and possibility of 'input' from the people to the government. Like the right to choose the members of the European Parliament, and... well... that's about it.
When we elected the EP (European Parliament), we voted on national parties. That's quiet weird, because our national parties are not in Europe. And so it happens that, when you have -like us in Holland- more than three parties to choose from, it sometimes doesn't matter when you choose between two parties: they are working together in the same european party in the EP...
Some wise person came on a brilliant idea! Why not change this strange situation? Why shouldn't we (the people of Europe) just vote on the European parties?
Most of our national government and some members of parliament don't like that idea. It should puzzle te voters. I think they are very, very wrong in this. It puzzles only those voters that don't (want to) know a thing about Europe. I think it is not good explicable where a vote ends. I can't say now what kind of majority is right now in the EP, and I think I'm politically engaged.
To topple down this 'buffer' of national parties, with its side-effect that it enlarges the "democratic-distance" to Bruxelles for the European population, it is a good thing to vote directly for a European party. That way we get rid as well from the awkward situation that national political parties make different statements, while they end up in the same European political stream.
It will bring the deeply-necessary clarity to the European Politics. This can be a fundamental improvement to the trust in Europe.
Want to discuss or react? See also the forum!!!
So far, so good. We can be happy with it, or not, but it is already there. I've always wondered about one particular thing: the democratic deficit. It's quiet weird: If I compare the democratic level of The Netherlands to that of Europe, there is a big difference. To this regard I'm merely considering the ways and possibility of 'input' from the people to the government. Like the right to choose the members of the European Parliament, and... well... that's about it.
An intermezzo: Democracy or Populism?
Before I go any further, I have to make one thing clear: Democracy and Populism isn't the same: Some people believe that democracy is the same as a government that does everything you or I want. (lower tax, higher wages, less bureaucracy and so on). But that's populism and has nothing to do with the way the government is controlled.
Moreover, what I want, isn't always the best for a country...
Democracy is about control, not about the question wether you like the things they do. In a democracy, a government is controlled by the people. Generally spoken, a govenment is chosen by the government by their program, and after their 'period', they will or won't be elected again.
When we elected the EP (European Parliament), we voted on national parties. That's quiet weird, because our national parties are not in Europe. And so it happens that, when you have -like us in Holland- more than three parties to choose from, it sometimes doesn't matter when you choose between two parties: they are working together in the same european party in the EP...
Some wise person came on a brilliant idea! Why not change this strange situation? Why shouldn't we (the people of Europe) just vote on the European parties?
Most of our national government and some members of parliament don't like that idea. It should puzzle te voters. I think they are very, very wrong in this. It puzzles only those voters that don't (want to) know a thing about Europe. I think it is not good explicable where a vote ends. I can't say now what kind of majority is right now in the EP, and I think I'm politically engaged.
To topple down this 'buffer' of national parties, with its side-effect that it enlarges the "democratic-distance" to Bruxelles for the European population, it is a good thing to vote directly for a European party. That way we get rid as well from the awkward situation that national political parties make different statements, while they end up in the same European political stream.
It will bring the deeply-necessary clarity to the European Politics. This can be a fundamental improvement to the trust in Europe.
Want to discuss or react? See also the forum!!!
