Moment of being impressed that all four candidates are debating fluently in their second (or third or nth) language. Chapeau! #florencedebate
That said it would almost be harder for a native English speaker to join them (I know this from my public speaking) because you have to work hard on *not* using colloquial phrases or complicated structures and metaphors.
(I do not do well at that)
Originally posted as a thread of 3 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
“Redemocratising Europe” question from the floor at #florencedebate
Weber: as commission president will put all proposals from the Parlt in a quasi-automatic process that gives effective legislative initiative to the EP.
Verhofstadt: transnational lists, Parliament needs legislative initiative but also tax-raising powers.
Keller: all of the above plus European council transparency and rule of law in member states. #Florencedebate
Originally posted as a thread of 4 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
“Redemocratising Europe” question from the floor at #florencedebate
Weber: as commission president will put all proposals from the Parlt in a quasi-automatic process that gives effective legislative initiative to the EP.
Verhofstadt: transnational lists, Parliament needs legislative initiative but also tax-raising powers.
Keller: all of the above plus European council transparency and rule of law in member states. #Florencedebate
Originally posted as a thread of 4 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Now @ManfredWeber – why do I want this job in a crisis. I’m 46 and the first generation who can said they’ve lived their whole lives in peace and freedom. We have to defend that.
We must practice democracy – parliamentary democracy, which I can do all the better by being a President who has emerged from the Parliament.
And finally @guyverhofstadt – explaining he’s not a #Spitzenkandidat and that ALDE is going to change. Arguing for direct election of Commission president via transnational list. [this feels quite inside baseball compared to the others]
“Ever since Brexit everyone is saying ‘we’re not as stupid as the Brits’” says @guyverhofstadt #Florencedebate #diplomacymasterclass
Originally posted as a thread of 4 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Now @ManfredWeber – why do I want this job in a crisis. I’m 46 and the first generation who can said they’ve lived their whole lives in peace and freedom. We have to defend that.
We must practice democracy – parliamentary democracy, which I can do all the better by being a President who has emerged from the Parliament.
And finally @guyverhofstadt – explaining he’s not a #Spitzenkandidat and that ALDE is going to change. Arguing for direct election of Commission president via transnational list. [this feels quite inside baseball compared to the others]
“Ever since Brexit everyone is saying ‘we’re not as stupid as the Brits’” says @guyverhofstadt #Florencedebate #diplomacymasterclass
Originally posted as a thread of 4 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Jim Cloos (answering my question on the role of participatory democracy at EU level) says it has to be local and regional first, and based on deliberation that comes from expert evidence. Again, don’t agree – or at least not entirely – but a clear position. #SOU2019
Why don’t I agree? Because elements of participation can be done on European issues at local and regional levels as part of the European policy conversation. There aren’t rigid levels any more.
Moreover that participation at whatever levels depends on the openness and information that have to come from every level of government.
Finally, the multiple levels of delegation that démocratise the European level just don’t work in the modern democratic mindset to give legitimacy. There is a need for more directness (in the sense of participation not referendums) – otherwise the current popularity won’t last.
@AnnMettler and Anthony from @EP_ThinkTank positive about experimentation and most importantly openness.
Originally posted as a thread of 5 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Jim Cloos (answering my question on the role of participatory democracy at EU level) says it has to be local and regional first, and based on deliberation that comes from expert evidence. Again, don’t agree – or at least not entirely – but a clear position. #SOU2019
Why don’t I agree? Because elements of participation can be done on European issues at local and regional levels as part of the European policy conversation. There aren’t rigid levels any more.
Moreover that participation at whatever levels depends on the openness and information that have to come from every level of government.
Finally, the multiple levels of delegation that démocratise the European level just don’t work in the modern democratic mindset to give legitimacy. There is a need for more directness (in the sense of participation not referendums) – otherwise the current popularity won’t last.
@AnnMettler and Anthony from @EP_ThinkTank positive about experimentation and most importantly openness.
Originally posted as a thread of 5 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Jim Cloos from @EUCouncil arguing that direct democracy is bad for the EU and it’s not the Commission’s job to be close to the citizen. Don’t agree but it’s interesting to have the view set out. #SOU2019
Fair criticisms of #spitzenkandidaten system: the President has no power to select his team, and Commission can only propose not do [though this is true in a way in the US as well]
Risking the old legitimacy of long-term expertise and the general interest for new legitimacy of direct election is a bad bet, says Jim Cloos. Nation states are where solutions to the crisis are to be found.
(This is an eloquent defence of the past and a criticism of the incompleteness of the present, but it’s not a plan for the future if all you’re doing is going back).
It’s not undemocratic to use codecision. It works and brings all The European political forces together. [yes, but…]
And then an eloquent defence of using citizen assemblies and more participative democracy at EU level. So I don’t understand where he’s coming from.
Originally posted as a thread of 6 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Italian For Min talking about getting EU closer to citizens. Five proposals: 1: Give EP legislative initiative (👍)
2: Make commission more political – has to behave more like a government would in taking initiative and leading (would surely mean Com Pres has to pick own team?)
3: Need to back the EP with bigger budgets provided through a European tax base and common bonds not just contributions from member states. Need to get closer to 24% of public spending as US Feds spend, from 1% at present.
That means moving away from unanimity on tax in the Council (seems implausible but you never know I guess). Focus on capturing taxes from big multinationals that they are currently avoiding.
4: (not entirely clear, listening to interpretation on the fly, but about migration)
5: majority voting on common foreign and security policy. #SOU2019 @DipPoliticheUE
Originally posted as a thread of 4 tweets on Twitter on 2 May 2019. View the original thread.
Articles, reports and other links I shared on Twitter this week.
Greetings are a minefield for @demsoc. Brussels (one kiss, or left-right), Italy (right-left), UK (curt nod from a respectful distance). We need a Workplace Greetings Directive. theguardian.com/money/shortcut…
Wed 24 Apr 2019 · on Twitter
Good @TPpodcast_ from David Runciman on how one version of democracy ending doesn’t mean democracy has ended. Appropriate listening for walking down Friedrichstraße to @DPZ_Berlin’s #pgs19. overcast.fm/+ES62-wBGs
Thu 25 Apr 2019 · on Twitter
Great! Loi next please > Rue Belliard loses lane in favour of cycle paths brusselstimes.com/brussels/15207…
Fri 26 Apr 2019 · on Twitter
The Belgian equivalent of the OBR verdict on the manifestos: «Aucun parti n’a respecté les objectifs budgétaires imposés à la Belgique»
plus.lesoir.be/220947/article…
Sat 27 Apr 2019 · on Twitter
Interesting interview with new French digital minister. Struck by his argument that strength in digital entrepreneurship and innovation is a way of ensuring France (and I’d add, Europe) has independence of decision making in coming decades. lesechos.fr/tech-medias/hi…
Sun 28 Apr 2019 · on Twitter