We have a serious democracy deficit. And without democratic accountability, it’s hard to see a bright future for it.
Comment on European Commission rejects new laws for Stop Destroying Videogames
daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Nobody voted for paper straws, glued bottletaps or AliExpress tariffs. Enough people voted for this.
EU is hardly a democracy. More like an enlightened despotism. “All for the people, but without the people”.
purple_mimosa@lemmy.world 3 days ago
Jiral@lemmy.world 3 days ago
The Commission is accountable to the directly elected European Parliament, by the fact that the latter can vote the former out of office anytime.
Jiral@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I get the feeling you are not really aware how the EU functions. Despotism is absolutist rule, calling the EU or any EU institution is pretty absurd. There is hardly a political entity, less centralised than the EU. Also, while there is a democratic deficit (but hardly larger than in many other democracies nowadays), the Commission is elected into power by the directly elected European Parliament and can’t pass ordinary legislation without a majority in the EP in support of it and the latter having the power to amend the hell out of anything if it doesn’t outright veto it straight away.
daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Europarliament representatives voting has nothing yo do with the programs they get elected for.
When they present themselves to the election they show people a program. Then they do whatever they want, nothing to so with that program they were voted to achieve.
It’s a detached institution. People elected for the european parliament get outrageous salaries, and barely get audited.
I remember when chat control was being voted. I wrote my representatives, none of them answerer, none, not a single one. If they cannot even talk to me about things I worry sure as hell they are not representing me.
Jiral@lemmy.world 3 days ago
I thonk this is false on many levels. Party groups are acting largely within their programs. Topics like Russia, Ukraine, EU integration (pro/contra), environment, regulation vs fighting red tape, Immigration etc. were present in the debate.
It is not complete, after all coalitions need to compromise and also the other legislative chamber gas a say for good reasons but generally I don’t see more divergence than on national level.
What I do see however, when comparing to Austria is that MEPs are more approachable than MPs and there is a higher chance that they might be influenced by public pressure. They are also much more engaged in actual legislative work in committees and not just in rubber stamping in the plenum.
daniskarma@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 days ago
Did your representatives had in their program tariffs for AliExpress or Shein?
Mine didn’t, they voted in favor of it regardless.