“It’s a disgusting insult to democracy and exactly why people are so suspicious of the EU – and rightly so.”
Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes added that there was outrage among many MEP’s that their candidates had been disregarded thanks to a series of secretive backroom deals.
And News Editor Thomas Hunt added: “The EU have made a rod for their own back with this and opened themselves up to a whole host of accusations of being undemocratic.”
He joked that instead of using backroom deals perhaps the EU could find some more democratic way of appointing senior political roles and added: “Imagine if there was a system where you just laid out the candidates and said to everyone ‘here’s a vote’ and whoever gets the most votes gets the position!”
Brussels correspondent Joe Barnes outlined the four roles up for grabs and the people now highly likely to be appointed.
They are: Ursula Von der Leyen – for European Commission President (taking over from Jean Claude Juncker)
Charles Michel – President of the European Council (taking over from Donald Tusk)
Josep Borrell – for EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy
Christine Lagarde – for president of the European Central Bank
Mr Barnes added the foursome were Brexit sceptics and said: “Charles Michel is very much in the ‘let’s not let Britain off the hook’ camp and on the harder wing of the EU.
“The friendship we currently have with Donald Tusk is going to end.”
Head of News and politics expert Mr Baldwin said the four appointees may be names within the EU but were nobodies
began: “Who are they, apart from Christine Lagarde, who are they.
“What is problematic for me and lots of people who have a slightly cynical view of the EU, is that at no point have these people had to canvas our support.
‘They are being appointed by a small cabal of people and they are going to run Europe.
“They are going to be in charge of the lives of 500 million people.
“We didn’t vote for them, they have never had to canvas us and we have no idea who they are.
“Also they will, of course, be dictating the terms of Brexit.
“If and when they get voted in by MEPs next week which is in no means certain.”
Mr Baldwin closed by asking the Brussels correspondent whether his assessment was correct and the current situation in the Parliament.
Mr Barnes replied: “The Parliament will vote in the week beginning the 15th of July, although that has not been confirmed.
“And it is only to vote for the Commission president but that is essentially done as a package so it is a proxy vote for them all.
“As you are alluding to there is a lot of anger because it has been an entirely backroom stitch-up done over three days in Brussels.
“While the democratic candidates, Manfred Weber and Frans Timmermans have been completely discarded from the process.
“Secretive backroom deals.” Ain’t that how every government of the world is run? Maybe they’re just getting a bit bolder in their dealings, more blatant disregarding of us.
Some say sunshine is seeping into secretive sectors.
🙂
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No recent M.E. articles up to post this link on, Europe is as close as it gets.
Freakin’ hilarious if you ask me… the morons ILLEGALLY boarded an Iranian boat, and now they’re paranoid as hell to go through the Strait of Hormuz…
https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019-07-08/british-oil-tanker-seeks-shelter-over-fears-it-could-be-seized-iran