The elections in 2014 are likely to exert a powerful influence on the future of the EU. As a matter of fact, from July to December 2014 the rotation of the EU key positions will take place, namely: the President of the Parliament, the President of the Council, the President of the Commission and the High Representative for the European Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. In November, a new European Commission will also take power, with one Commissioner from each of the 28 countries. As forerunner of these events, from 22 to 25 May 300 million EU eligible voters (out of 500 million citizens) , in all 28 Member States, will elect 766 new Members of the European Parliament (EP): it will be the eighth Europe-wide election since the first direct election in 1979. The Lisbon Treaty, entered in force on 1 December 2009, envisages that the EP shall elect the European Commission President on the basis of a proposal made by the European Council taking into account the European elections (article 17 paragraph 7 of the TEU). This provision will apply for the first time for the 2014 elections and will thus allow the European citizens to vote indirectly for the European Commission President. The major political parties are nominating candidates to propose as Commission President during the campaign season, although it is not sure that the largest party in the Parliament will have an absolute majority: nevertheless, its candidate is likely to become Commission President. In this context a fair amount of Europeans have maintained that the EU has a democratic deficit as EU citizens are not represented to their full extent and that there is a lack of accountability within EU institutions. In fact, only the EP has elected representatives, while all other institutions have appointed representatives: furthermore the powers of the EP are weaker than those of the European Commission and of the Council of the EU (also known as Council of Ministers) being the EP unable to propose legislation and limiting itself to propose amendments to laws. Another complaint is that the EU appears too distant from its citizens due to the lack of transparency and a complicated political system. All this has probably contributed to the declining voter turnout in the European elections with the lowest point reached in 1999. ieri.be/en/publications/wp/2013/d-cembre/2014-elections-eu
Posted on: Mon, 14 Jul 2014 00:55:25 +0000
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