European Institutions

Growing mistrust between Europeans and their Parliament

Published on 6 November 2012 at 14:14

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Are Europeans losing confidence in the only European institution that is democratically elected? Citing the most recent European ‘Parlemeter’, a Eurobarometer poll that sounds out Europeans’ knowledge of the European Parliament and how they view it, the International Herald Tribune reports that since 2008, when the European economic crisis burst onto the scene, the image of the Strasbourg assembly has experienced a “sharp decline”. Twenty-six percent of the respondents sampled across Europe have “a 'negative' image of Parliament, an increase of nine points,” writes the American newspaper.

This is not without problems, at a time when some European leaders are convinced that the way out of the crisis in the EU – “the worst in its 60 years of existence,” writes the IHT – is through strengthening European institutions, starting with Parliament: “But the current state of the parliament — including corruption scandals and the appearance of excessive lobbying — has added to doubts about the likelihood of that prospect.” Added to this is the decline in turnout for the European elections, which has fallen to “just over 40 percent from more than 60 percent in less than a quarter of a century.”

“‘Meanwhile”, Frederik Erixon, of the European Centre for International Political Economy think tank, tells the newspaper that “lobbyists have stepped into the vacuum left by the weakening link between citizens and parliamentarians.” These, adds the newspaper, are —

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popularly resented for their web of generous allowances and the influence they wield over regulations. On many days parts of the parliament building have the feel of a glitzy trade show. Business lobbies organize conferences in meeting rooms and host meals in the dining rooms at the invitation of friendly members. They also mount exhibitions — some in seeming violation of the Parliament’s own guidelines.

Several recent scandals involving MEPs have led to “the creation of the first ethics committee” within the Parliament and —

for the first time, an explicit ban on members taking money in exchange for amending legislation. But despite the recent overhauls, representatives are allowed to hold second jobs with no limits on salaries and accept flights and accommodations without declaring all of them.... The rules prevent members who join or establish lobbying firms from using their lifetime access to Parliament once they leave office. But as of September, the parliament had not asked any former deputy to hand in a badge. More than 2,900 badges are held by registered lobbyists.... A further 12,000 lobbyists can enter the parliament at almost any time at the invitation of a member.... Lobbyists also have direct access to lawmakers through extra-parliamentary organizations like the Kangaroo Group, which promotes free trade.... and used an office rent-free in a building maintained by the Parliament until renovation forced it to move last year.

“Some guidelines” are “already on the books”, the paper concludes, but they are “routinely ignored.”

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