by
N. Peter Kramer
With levels of
voters turnout more or less the same as in 2009, it is clear that those against
the mainstream forces kept the level on this point. Pro-Europe campaigns,
with a budget of at least €40 million, failed to mobilise citizens. In France, the
UK, Denmark and Greece anti-mainstream parties, right or left, were clear winners;
in Italy and Hungary they reached a second place. Together with anti-EU and
far-left parties in 11 other memberstates, they won a third of the seats in the
new European Parliament Of course, it is
unthinkable that we will ever find these parties together in one political group
in the EP: some of them are anti-EU and anti-immigration; others anti-austerity.
There are also critical parties that want reform of the EU rules and institutions.
Now the real question
is, will the pro-European establishment of EPP, Socialists, Liberals and Greens
care about this outcry of discontent and call for reform by a third of the
voters? I am afraid they will not. The pro-Europe ranks shrunk from 630 to 523
seats, still a grand majority in a parliament with751 seats. Listen to the Liberal
(ALDE) leader and super-federalist Guy Verhofstadt’s who commented on the new
situation, that the best thing to do is to respond on the discontent and call
for reform with ‘more Europe’, read: even more power for ‘Brussels’, even less
power for the national parliaments and governments. Jean-Claude Juncker (EPP)
and Martin Schulz (Socialists) showed themselves more restraint. They are
battling for the most important position in the EU: President of the European
Commission. Candidates have to find a majority in the EP and in the Council of
government leaders.
Don’t forget to
watch this unpalatable theater. It has not much to do with democracy, it is all
about power…
By: N. Peter Kramer
