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Contemporary European Politics - Coggle Diagram
Contemporary European Politics
Decision making I
EU and and aspects of supranational governance
Democratic Legitimacy in the EU
Parliamentary assertion in appointing the
Commission
EP has been more assertive in appointing Commission Members with time
1995:
Separation of Powers
EU does not have a traditional separation of powers
Spitzkandidaten
Originally parliment had no say on commision members or pres
Changed in 80s where they began informally passing them pres and the commission as a whole
This became solidified as going against the will of the directly elected parliament is not very normative. This has been taken as an example of the parlimentarization of the EU
2007 lisbon adds vaguely phrased codification of this practice
in 2014, political parties in the EP bring forth spitzkandidaten which the council can pick from, exercise more power in the process
2019 the same thing happens but the eventually council nominates a non-spitzkandidaten
Since ratchetting suggests that power only flows in one direction, this goes against the prevailing parlimentarization rhetoric
2 more items...
Timmermans was blokced by eastern states as he was a hardliner on punishing Poland and Hungary on their violation of the rule of law
EPPs was the largest party, although loosing share
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Spitzkandidaten has the benefit of being backed by MEPs who represent pan europe, pan-parties and not individuals states are therefore competeing
in 1999 the parliament blocks a commission
In 2004 it EP requests a candidate is changed further flexing its power
What is the EU?
Defies easy categorization
Not Quite a state
Constantly shifting territory
no EU demos
Authority limited to certain policy areas
No monopoly over the use of coercion
More then an intergovernmental institution (IGO)
More complex institutional structure, more policy responsibilities
Started as an effort to pool coal and steel production
Misc
Voting in the European Union
Q
ualified
M
ajority
V
oting
Majority of countries 55% or 72% if acting on proposals that aren't from the commission nor from the high representative
And
65% of EU population
A blocking minority also requires that at least 4 countries or 35% of population plus one country, vote against the proposal
This is a tool to reach consensus as most of the time the votes are unanimous
Used in the Council
Demoi-cracy
Demos = populace, the people of a nation regarded as political unit, usually with a collective identity/public sphere
Kratos = Power
Demoi = Common populaces of several states
European institutions have been endowed with increasing political authority
Also, in the gradual supranationalization of decision-making procedures
However, a European Demos is not materializing and perhaps does not need to
EU is in some ways evolving on a national basis
Embrace demoi-cratic nature of the EU
This materializes in the form of respecting the democratic rights of the individuals as well as the democratically elected national leaders
Social Identity
Cognitive
self-identification
Affective
feelings of attachment
Evaluative
Who, based on which criteria, is a group member
Can make people feel like they belong and good about themselves
Can fuel in-group favoritism and out-group discrimination
Theories of European idenity
1.Socialization
Contact
Education
Actions and Events
Social networks and prototypes
Social Threat
STRUCTURE
EXECUTIVE
Commision
("cabinet")
27 members
in total headed by a
President
Each member is nominated based on suggestions of national governments, although they are not supposed to represent their member states
The parliament must approve the commission
President of the Commision
Current president is Ursula Von Der Leyen
The president gets proposed by the European Council, following a Qualified Majority Vote
Has the right of initiative on legislation
Legislation
Anomalous in regards to other governments
European Council
Defines the overall political direction and priorities of the EU
Made up of heads of states from the member states (27) as well as the president of the council (Currently
Charles Michel
)
President of the Council is the principal representative of the EU
Resides and drives forward the Council
Appointed by the European Council
(since lisbon treaty)
LEGISLATIVE
Parliament
751 Directly elected representatives MEPs
Voting takes place every 5 years
Voting always decreases
Voting age is 18 except in Malta and Austria and Greece
Seats by country depend on population size
Has transnational political groups
Absolute majority voting
No-right of initiative on legislation
Co-decision on legislation
Most powerful international parliment
Holds budgetary and legislative powers
Appoints commission
Approves member government appointed individuals
Can be weak on controversial issues that get settled through intergovernmental deal making, council
Council of the EU
Vote By QMV
Made up of Government ministers
Types of legislation
Directives
Legally binding but but has leeway for transposition, has an compliance date useally
Governments must transpose the directive into their laws, Allow states to get their on their on time in their on way, DI
Directives can and are however often very specific, so they blur the line with regulations
Regulations
Strongest kind, automatically legally binding in all member state
used when establishing a fixed legal framework across all member states, no DI
A decision
Recommendations and opinions
Non-compliance
3 Types
Non-compliance of national laws with the treaties, directives or decisions
Failure to comply with CJEU rulings
Late or incorrect transposition of laws
True extent of non-comlpiance is hard to know (only one third chekced)
Actors complain to the commission, most complaints are not handled
Court referrals have been decreasing, constrained dissensus perhaps, strategic approach, weak, but also kinda DI
Types of legislation processes
The ordinary legislative procedure
(Community Method)
The commision has rights of intitative, the EP and council co-decide and the EP and council can amend legislation,
The commission can change the legislative proposal while its in process
Requires all three units agreeing
Intergovernmental method
State governments rule the show
JUDICARY
European Court of Justice
Resolves disputes (infringement proceedings)
27 appointed judges
Also council of Europe, which is not EU