European issues directly affect every single moment of our daily lives and the future Europe we will give our sons and daughters. Although European governance may appear distant from the everyday reality of European citizens, we shouldn’t become trapped by euro-scepticism. 

The EU is not an impenetrable ‘Kafkian castle’, but an evolving tangible reality that we, as the electorate, have the opportunity to shape according to our needs and values. It is most unfortunate that it is still evident that Europeans have widely not taken advantage of this opportunity, as more than half of citizens did not exercise their democratic right in the Parliamentary elections last week. Criticisms of the EU’s shortcomings, as of many national and supranational institutions, are well-circulated and, in certain cases, quite valid. However, this article is devoted to acknowledging the undeniable achievements the EU has ensured for its citizens. Read the rest of this entry »

Many political scientists have long been arguing that the lack of connection between the results of the elections and the subsequent composition of the European Commission has been one of the key obstacles to the emergence of a pan-European political debate, and ultimately, for increased voters’ attention. From the point of view of the Euro-parties, it has led to the effect that so far they have not shaped their campaigns around their approval or criticism of the previous Commission (as would be the case nationally with the governing and opposition parties), but instead have focused on their ideas and solutions for the EU without much reference to the previous commission’s record. Most Euro-parties were further complaining that their electoral role and a real partisan, pan-European campaign, cannot be fully developed until the introduction of a common, pan-European constituency. In other words, without changes within the EU’s institutional environment, not much change was predicted.

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