Guest post on "Th!nk About It" (3): A visible opposition in the European Parliament

This week I am guest blogging on TH!NK ABOUT IT. I will publish the articles here, too, but I would like to kindly ask you to comment on TH!NK09. This is my third article, which you also can find here.

One might be as europhile as I am (and just a little remark: I still would not call myself "EUrophile" with a capital U, but rather "EUroptimistic" or simply "europhile"), but I can understand to a certain extend many of those who have doubts about the European project called "European Union".

And so, given that this week we are witnessing the last session of this European Parliament in this period, let me express high appreciation for Daniel Hannan who, in his probably last speech in front of this parliament, has again shown that you can be eurosceptic, critical, and even tastefully polemic, but that this can be done in the most intelligent, articulate, and honest way.

His call for a "visible opposition against the EU" in the next European Parliament is thus not to be understood in a negative manner, but in the best tradition of a democratic institutions in which the pro and the contra are the main elements of free and democratic discourse of ideas and ideals.

And he is absolutely correct pointing out that it is better to allow and to support open and democratic opposition - even against the project as such - within the institution than waiting for radicals and xenophobic opponents outside the parliament to be the sole voices of discontent heard all over Europe.

So here's Daniel's speech, as always short and concise, and with remarkably warm words for outgoing EP president Hans-Gert Pöttering:



Thank you, Daniel, for your work and your directness - and I suppose you will be around...!

Daniel Hannan nationalises the European Parliament

Last week, British MEP Daniel Hannan ruled the world. Almost.

It is a pity that it has to be a speech from a British politician speaking to another British politician about basically British politics has to become one of the most viewed and famous speeches in the European Parliament ever (and for two days the most watched video worldwide).

The EP webeditors have discussed the viral effects of this phenomenon, but even Mr Hannan, a well-known blogger himself (which is one basic explanation for this success), seemed to be surprised.

So Mr Hannan has finally won: He managed to nationalise the European Parliament.

How the "No" came into the snow

During this week, a "NO TO LISBON" appeared in the snow in front of the European Parliament (and changed into an almost unreadable YES later on.

Now we know how.

Scrap the CAP

Although not a big fan of Mr. Hannan, it's worth throwing a glance at his one-minute speech on the uselessness of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).

Excellent.

Tibetans and Germans, the suppressed peoples

Is it necessary to comment on such stupidities?

"If it is wrong for Beijing to impose its rule on the Tibetans in the name of harmonisation, why is it right for Brussels to impose its rule on equally historic nations? Surely the national principle applies to Europe, too. If Tibet can legitimately aspire to independence, Germany must have the same right."

Who has elected him into the European Parliament?

Heaven save us from half-time MEPs

Daniel Hannan, British conservative and independent Member of the European Parliament, wants heaven to save us from full-time politicians.

In his blog he is sending us the following glorious message:

[W]hy do we always call these outside interests "second jobs"? Ideally, they would be an MP's first job. Unable to make a living as a full-time politician, the MP would be far less likely to go native. A legislature made up of working people, who met in session from time to time to prevent the institutions of the state from aggrandising their powers, and who drew no more than a modest compensation for their time, would be far more representative of the nation's temper.

That is the right attitude of a member of parliament!

Why should members of parliament spend time in boring sessions, read detailed reports and background analyses, listen to all sides of a story if they can just come back from sailing, or, aehm, writing, once or twice a month and let their gut speak for the people.

I am looking forward to stories like this:

Hey boss, I will finish building this wall in the afternoon - I have to pass by the parliament quickly to decide on that bill on stem cell research. [...] No, I didn't read it, but I will ask my colleague who works in the laboratory of that big pharmaceutical company. [...] Sorry boss, just this time! Next week they are discussing on foreign trade, that is not so important and I can be with you when we are finishing the second storey of the new Commission building. [...] Aehm, I don't know when we decided this, I must have been elsewhere.

To keep it short: Maybe people who want to continue working in their ordinary jobs should not become members of parliament. Or maybe some members of parliament should have a more professional understanding of what they are doing - not in their own interest but in the complex interest of their fellow citizens.

Not just twice a month, but every day!