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The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 | 41 comments (41 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (4.00 / 4)
The European Parliament is an institution of low imortance for most people. Even though it has been successful in achieving a bit more power over the past two cycles, this is still limited in practical terms.

The issues the EU deals with (policies, 'competences' in EUspeak) are largely in the area of 'low politics', with quite a lot of them being things you'd expect a non-elected regulator to deal with.

Some of these regulations are used to bring about unpopular policies through the back door, aided by lower awareness of what goes on in Brussels and sometimes even without oversight by the European Parliament. Which is a problem.

The European Parliament elections low saliency elections. My working thesis is that low saliency elections can amplify the drifting of the electorate and are ideal for breakthroughs of new parties. However, I do not know how the developing economic crisis will play into that.

If we want to have influence on the elections, we need to prepare a booklet and some other things (like a dedicated website) as part of a broad communications strategy. And draw some other people in. Coverage on ET will be good for ET but won't cut it.

seventhirtysix.eu is still free ;)

by nanne (zwaerdenmaecker@gmail.com) on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 08:01:03 AM EST
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (4.00 / 3)
Agreed - but we are the European Tribune. We have to do our bit ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 08:21:41 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (4.00 / 4)
Plus, it's an election!

Need my fix, man.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.

by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 10:05:29 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (none / 1)
you sound like the proverbial Irishman who would bet on two flies walking up a wall as if it were a horse race!

I think you will find the EP elections a serious disappointment compared to the Obama/McCain election.  There people got engaged because they really believed the outcome would make a serious difference.  No one believes that about the EP other than a few political nerds on the make or take.

I think there is also a wider issue here.  Parliaments generally are perceived as losing power compared to the executive branches of Government.  Most important Government decisions are revealed at news conferences rather than to Parliament.  Few debates in parliament matter because the outcomes are pre-determined by the voting strengths of Government and opposition parties.  Back bench members of parliament are perceived as cannon fodder...

notes from no w here

by Frank Schnittger (mail Frankschnittger at hot male dotty communists) on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 10:15:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (none / 1)
Doesn't matter.  It's the game, not the outcome.

Be nice to America. Or we'll bring democracy to your country.
by Drew J Jones (pedobear@pennstatefootball.com) on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 10:24:49 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (none / 1)
Spoken like a losing Englishman ;-)

You can't be me, I'm taken
by Sven Triloqvist on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 10:29:21 AM EST
[ Parent ]
Re: The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 (4.00 / 5)
I agree with you, the European Parliament being of relatively low importance to many people. Thus I think it is very important to start a discussion. I do not think it is important where the discussion starts, as long as it starts and then can develope from there. And for that I think ET is as good a place as any, though it might not be enough, to which I agree again with you. :-)
by Fran on Fri Jan 16th, 2009 at 08:49:36 AM EST
[ Parent ]

The European Parliamentary Elections 2009 | 41 comments (41 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
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