Attitudes to the E.U.

[tjwmason]

Having seen the posts about the E.U. Constitution potentially over-ruling, I wondered about other DUers attitude to the E.U. itself.

Personally, I am not keen at all. I did a few European Integration Studies courses at university, and know a dash about how the whole system works.

It strikes me that there can never be any effective democratic control over the E.U., and therefore that it will always be a bureaucratic institution.

The European Parliament is the only body which is elected to fulfil its European role (the Council of Ministers is, of course, elected but to fulfil national policy goals); and its election leaves very much to be desired. For example, the British Conservatives sit as part of the European Peoples Party - which is fervently Eurofederalist (hardly the position of the Tories). People tend to vote for M.E.P.s on the basis of national politics, and especially the popularity of the current government, rather than European politics.

Anybody else have 2 Eurocents to throw into the discussion?

[LeftishBrit]

1. Not that keen either, BUT...

I would rather be part of a federal Europe, excessive bureaucracy and all, than become effectively Bush's "51st state", which seems at present to be the alternative. Therefore I decided, on hearing the American election results on Nov 3rd, that I would vote for the EU constitution when it comes up.

[Anarcho-Socialist]

2. I like the concept of the E.U. but I hate the way it is organised

I wish it were more transparent and democratic - but to make those changes means that Eurosceptics will always argue that it's undermining sovereignty. It's this battle between two ideas of what the E.U. should be - a "club of nations" and a "union of nations" which means that we're left with a half-way house that satisfies nobody.

I do sympathise with your frustration with the E.U. though.

[Vladimir]

3. I hate it more and more every day

because of how undemocratic it is. The EU is an affront to those of us who want to see a united Europe IMO - having said which, I can't bring myself to campaign with the RW on the issue. Unfortunately the most coherent position I can come up with is that all the parties involved can go fuck themselves, which isn't very useful at all but there you go. I used to think that the EU would democratize once it gained more power, but there is no such trend to be seen...

[keymaker]

4. National Interest

Personally I'm completely opposed. The EU has destroyed the fishing industry and fish stocks and there's not much that's more important to a nation than its staple foods. We have also lost control of immigration and the borders even though the country is grossly overpopulated for conditions in the 21 century and on most European comparisons.

The unsatisfactory basis upon which we supported the US in an illegal war on Iraq, which was opposed by most of the EU, raises the intriguing possibility that a successful EU will be able to put America in its place in the long term but IMO the price to national life in this country will be too high... well that's what I think anyway...

keymaker

[non sociopath skin]

5. My view of the EU is coloured by the courage of its founding fathers ...

... who, with the wounds of the Second World War still over, had the determination to try to ensure future peace in Europe by pursuing a policy of mutual co-operation and economic interdependence. There's a fascinating account of this in "Paris After The Liberation" by Antony Beever and Artemis Cooper which IMO is required reading on the subject.

Yes, the dream soured somewhat, and I could never give unmitigated support to a monolith with such a democratic deficit. But given the alternatives, I'll hang on in there.

The Skin

[T_i_B]

6. Moderate Euro-sceptic here!

I like the single market, but I do not like the CAP at all, I don't think Britain should enter the Euro, I don't thing the EU is anything like accountable enough and as for the EU constitution, well I'll try to read it first before making my own mind up on it.