Direct election of European Commission President

Direct election of European Commission President

This was an idea that many 89ers agreed on at the Conference. I put it up in order to foster further debate. The proposal suggests the direct election of the Commission President from the heads of the EP parliamentary groups, in order to create interest and excitement whilst assigning an EU dimension to EP elections. On the other hand, the Commission's status as an independent, non-partisan body would be compromised, and its legitimacy possibly harmed.

Points

The view is held by a number of 89ers, and consistently came up at the Conference on the Redefinition of the European Mission.

A Commission (President) with a democratic mandate is either accountable to the European Parliament or directly to the people. In a system where there are European parties or lists (instead of national parties in European factions) competing in EP elections with a Commission/Government president emerges, the necessary principle of classical opposition is restored, which is sorely needed to quell anti-EU and anti-establishment sentiments and give the opposition to the status quo a voice.

The current status quo obviously is not working. The British people elected a Conservative government promising a referendum on EU membership, the Greeks elected a government (and then backed it's referendum) that nearly cost the Greek economy its Euro currency, and the migration crisis has continued to throw the wisdom of open borders into question. Election of the European Commission President will help spread awareness of all that is good about the EU through a electoral process.

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