-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Hash: SHA1 On Thursday 25 Sep 2003 12:09, Derek Jennings wrote: > 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
Derek Still not quite true. Any (EU citizen) individual can stand as an independent, ie no party except himself (and obviously be top of his own list). I'll stand if you will promise to vote for me, but realistically independents have zilch chance of being elected, unless perhaps they are really famous. Pete Ardnamurchan Scotland -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: GnuPG v1.0.7 (GNU/Linux) iD8DBQE/ctncbAtXXQnVtr0RAmSjAJ0YGBYtbjM9niTVww5H4p5pNm5VngCfQW+f xRR1tWSt5rsAs50eCKFGPEI= =V1Fa -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----
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