Towards transnational Euro-elections

The European Parliament (EP) has taken the first step towards “a directly elected EU president,” reports the Daily Telegraph. The British daily explains that on 19 April, a parliamentary committee adopted a proposal from British Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew Duff that aims to create a pan-EU constituency with transnational lists from which Europe’s citizens will be able to elect 25 new MEPS, who will join the EP’s 751 existing representatives from member states. EUobserverargues that the transnational lists could boost the “popular legitimacy” of the European Parliament and quotes Andrew Duff, who is convinced that his project will "force these European political parties that we have had for years ... to become full-scale campaigning organisations, competing with ideologies and policies."

“Even if there is a long road ahead, it is a good idea,” writes Yves Desmet inDe Morgen. The editorialist remarks that “Europe is increasingly an economic and monetary project with no greater ambition than the rationalisation of national budgets. Beyond that, there is hardly anything resembling a political or moral project.” He goes on to warn against the populist nationalism that has emerged in many member states, which “is almost exclusively based on fear of others and selfishness”. “A European constituency will not be a cure-all, but at least it will give politicians a chance to seek the backing of voters for a large-scale European project in which they still believe. Then and only then will politicians have a political space in which they can communicate their message that globalisation and internationalisation do not only represent a threat but also an opportunity.”