The title of this blog entry is intentionally contradictory. Yet it encompasses the central challenge the European Union in facing. To start, what are we supposed to do about democracy in the European Union, viewing democracy in the classical post-World War II consensus kind of way, where multi party representative...
So the European Council last night did not back Jean Claude Juncker as Commission President, instead inviting Herman Van Rompuy to consult about who should become Commission President between now and the end of June. He should, to use Merkel’s words, look at a “somewhat broader tableau of suitable persons”....
Streaming live with MEPs Scholz, Cramer, Thein, from 1900 CET! Your browser does not support iframes.
Let’s get the caveats out of the way first. I know the way the parties selected their Commission President candidates was imperfect. I know that none of the candidates has really shone. I know this process has not been dealt with with the same degree of seriousness right across the EU. I know that...
I’m the moderator of the European Alternatives debate in Berlin on Saturday between the MEPs Sylvia-Yvonne Kaufmann (SPD), Alexandra Thein (FDP) (yes, her of the posters fame), Helmut Scholz (Die LINKE) and Michael Cramer (Grüne). The debate is at the end of the Transeuropa Caravans tour that has been running over the last couple...
Never Forget to Vote From the youth movement of the Swedish Social Democrats, SSU . Voteman The Danish Parliament’s official EP election film that was taken down, and hence I re-post someone else’s upload here . Choose Who’s In Charge Official EP election film I’ll leave you to decide which...
With less than two weeks to go before the most excitement any EU nerd gets in their lives, the European Parliament elections and with this year’s added bonus, the Spitzenkandidat process, I’m happy to announce 2 #EUtweetup dates. Berlin, Thursday 15th May, from 1900 Location: Altes Europa Café, Gipsstraße 11, 10119 Berlin (1900-2030),...
In 2012 the EU won the Nobel Prize for Peace. But what about the slightly less good things that have been happening in the European Parliament for the past 5 years? As a bit of fun before the European elections here’s my very own, very unscientific, EP Ignobel Prize. Vote below...
I don’t recall why I did not post this wonderful sketch at the time Claudio Nichele tweeted me about it, but I have just been reminded of it and hence post it here. Click the image to see it at full resolution. Claudio was a participant in a half-day workshop...
I am going to be a guest on Deutsche Welle’s online discussion #dwwebtalk on 14th May about the European Elections. It will be filmed using a Google Hangout, and broadcast here. You can follow the discussion using the tag #dwwebtalk on Google+ and on Twitter. I know that Martin Fuchs...
It’s European Elections time. That period every five years when people partially wake up to the issue that democracy is supposed to work in the European Union, and the press starts to worry why it does not. The media itself may of course compound the problem. In both the media...
I am a speaker at the Europe Conference “This time it’s different” in Copenhagen today. There is no live stream by default, so I will use Bambuser to stream my speech. That, and my slides, are below. Your browser does not support iframes.