tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post5967749177694021089..comments2023-09-28T12:28:57.598+03:00Comments on Grahnlaw: President of the European Council voteRalf Grahn http://www.blogger.com/profile/02156293782163802007noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post-23883644401602931532009-11-15T19:25:45.139+02:002009-11-15T19:25:45.139+02:00Joe,
Despite your spirited argument, I disagree....Joe, <br /><br />Despite your spirited argument, I disagree. <br /><br />In the USA, the executive power is vested in the president, who is assisted by secretaries and the rest of the administration. This model would be even less all-encompassing than the French system. <br /><br />The British parliamentary democracy has been important historically, but I would not use it as a model for the 21st century. . Parochial electoral districts, ‘elective dictatorship’ and first past the post are not worth emulating.<br /><br />Proportional, pan-European elections leading to coalition governments are the model best attuned to European parliamentary traditions, in my view. <br /><br />In a democratic European Union, the current European Parliament would evolve into the principal chamber, elected by the citizens. I am afraid that the states would insist on representation, so we would have to endure a second chamber; thus the president of the European Council would evolve into an upper house speaker. <br /><br />Representative democracy builds on the idea that the voters decide which parties succeed well enough to be able to form a government, and thus its general course. Continuing scrutiny by parliament is, or at least can be, more effective than a one-off election of a president by popular vote.Ralf Grahn https://www.blogger.com/profile/02156293782163802007noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6406430766424642773.post-76895335316878492302009-11-15T15:25:48.266+02:002009-11-15T15:25:48.266+02:00Ralf,
In the spirit of debate, I've written a...Ralf,<br /><br />In the spirit of debate, I've written a counter to your support for an EU parliamentary system. I would be interested to hear your thoughts!<br /><br />My post is <a href="http://joelitobarski.com/politics/democracy/president-or-parliament/" rel="nofollow">here</a>.Joe Litobarskihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02416542302347335201noreply@blogger.com