On Thursday 25 Sep 2003 11:53 am, Peter Watson wrote: > -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- > Hash: SHA1 > > <SNIP>On Wednesday 24 Sep 2003 21:54, Kaj Haulrich wrote: > > As expected, the EP voted for the proposal with a huge majority. > > > > But just to calm you down a bit : > > > > Those of you who live in democratic and free countries may think > > that it's a real parliament. It certainly is not. The members > > are not elected, they are appointed by national political > > parties. The real power lies at the Commission. One of the > > commissars recently called the EP a "Mickey Mouse Parliament" - > > very appropriate. > > </SNIP> > > For the benefit of any non EU readers the above statement is not actually > true. > > Members of the European parliament *are* elected by ballot and *any* EU > citizen can stand. Where Kaj's statement has an element of truth is that, > unfortunately, the electors (ie the general public) are pretty well > brainwashed to only vote for candidates who represent an established > political party, and this does have the effect of filling the parliament > with the sort of deadbeats that Kaj describes. However, this is really a > reflection of the sheep like mentality of the electors and not a valid > criticism of the parliament as such, to put it another way. if you vote > for idiots you get idiots in parliament, but is this the idiot's fault or > yours > > Regards > Pete > Ardnamurchan Scotland
Actually Peter your statement is not quite true either. In the UK and several other EU nations the voter votes for a party *not* a candidate. The party decides who actually goes to the parliment by keeping a 'party list' The proportion of votes cast for a party determines how many people on the list get elected. Anyone whose name appears near the top of the list for a major party are **bound** to get elected no matter how big an idiot ( or crook ) they are. You might as well vote for the 'Monster Raving Loony' party (Yes. There is one!) derek -- ---------------------------------- www.jennings.homelinux.net http://twiki.mdklinuxfaq.org
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