We don't even know who they are |

Thursday 19th November 2009 | 14:36

We don't even know who they are

A new survey of MPs, senior journalists and other political insiders suggests that there is widespread disapproval of the opaque process for choosing the new EU president, with almost half the political community confessing they have 'little or no knowledge' about the candidates.

On the day that European leaders are meeting to decide who will become president of the European council, the latest PoliticsHome insider research lays bare the extent to which the UK political community remains in the dark about candidates for the job.

In addition, the survey revealed widespread disapproval within Westminster for the process by which the new president will be chosen.

The Phi100 panel of political experts and insiders – which comprises MPs and peers from across the political spectrum alongside political editors and commentators, broadcasters, party strategists and think tank directors – were asked the extent of their knowledge of candidates for the new president and their views on the process of filling the role.

In a striking result, not a single insider claimed to be well informed about the range of candidates for the position.

Almost half the panel (forty seven per cent) admitted that though they were aware of the names of a few candidates, they knew ‘little or nothing about what any of them were like’.

Twenty four per cent knew ‘a little about some of them’. Roughly the same proportion (twenty six per cent) had ‘detailed knowledge of some’ while knowing ‘little about others’.

This pattern was replicated across the political spectrum.

Process condemned

The negotiations for choosing the president are to be conducted behind closed doors in a process that has done little to enhance the EU’s claims to democratic legitimacy.

The arrangements were widely disparaged by panellists, eighty two per cent of whom believed the process was poorly designed.

Panellists of all political leanings heavily condemned the negotiation arrangements.

Undemocratic

A right-leaning panellist described the process as ‘grotesquely undemocratic’, while a non-aligned panellist agreed that it represented a ‘a typically undemocratic stitch-up’.

Leave a comment...

Anna

15:26 |
19 Nov 2009
Recommended
5

‘a typically undemocratic stitch-up’.

That sounds familiar.

Derek Emery

16:05 |
19 Nov 2009
Recommended
2

What use if any is democracy to politicians in the 21st century, especially as only tiny percentages of the public are on-song with the dogma of any political party? From the political point of view the public are at best negative and would hold back progress if given rthe opportunity. Therefore they are best excluded from any real choices of representation or policy in the EU. Voting for MEPs is OK because they don't determine anything of importance. All imortant decisions are behind the scenes as the public are not trustworthy.

George Woodhouse

16:25 |
19 Nov 2009
Recommended
1

The selection of the EU president is iconic of the undemocratic way in which the EU has developed over many years, culminating with the imposition of the constitiution in the form of the Lison Treaty.

One thing we all know for sure about the new president is that he (or she) will not be selected because of any public support nor because he necessarily has attributes that will make him suitable for the job.Neither of these things carry any weight in the context of EU governance.

The EU club is designed by the political classes for the benefit of the political classes - but unfortunately they don't pay for it - we do!

A J Scott

17:47 |
21 Nov 2009
0

Well, if you mighty cognoscenti don't know who these "grotesquely undemocratic" "stitched up" pair of clowns are, how the hell can the rest of us?

It is beyond belief - again.

Jeffrey Archer, I hope, and Michael Dobbs too, are sharpening their authorial pencils or keyboards.

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