“If there would not be a parliament, every waiter could govern” (Otto von Bismarck). With this statement, the Prussian-German statesman Otto von Bismarck emphasised the importance of a parliament within a democracy. The Parliament is the legislative and the heart of a democracy. Its importance is based on some key functions which it carries out to control the executive and to represent the interests of the citizens.
When the Lisbon Treaty came into force on 1st December 2009, the supporters of the European Parliament (EP) celebrated its empowerment. The Treaty gave the EP more power, so that some people are now of the opinion that the EP has the same rights and functions of a proper parliament and put it on the same level as a proper parliament. But is this really true? Indeed, the European Parliament is a powerful institution and within the European Union it should play the role of the legislative. But is it really equal with a proper parliament? Does it really perform the same key functions as a proper parliament? In this essay, I will discuss the statement: “the European parliament is not a proper parliament because it does not carry out the key functions a proper parliament would perform.”
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Key Functions of a Proper Parliament
2.1 Representative Function
2.2 Legislative Function
2.3 Appointment and Scrutiny of the Executive
2.4 Budgetary Function
3 The European Parliament
3.1 The Election of the European Parliament
3.2 Legislative Function
3.3 Appointment and Scrutiny of the executive
3.4 Budgetary Function
4 The Lisbon Treaty and its Impact on the Powers of the European Parliament
4.1 Changes in the Electoral System
4.2 Changes in the Legislative Function
4.3 Changes in the Appointment and Scrutiny of the Executive
4.4 Changes in the Budgetary Function
5 The European Parliament = a Proper Parliament
5.1 Representative Function
5.2 Legislative Function
5.3 Appointment and Scrutiny of the Executive
5.4 Budgetary Function
6 Conclusion
Objectives & Core Topics
The primary objective of this work is to evaluate whether the European Parliament can be classified as a "proper parliament" by comparing its functions and powers against the established criteria for representative parliaments in Western Europe. The research examines the evolution of these powers, specifically analyzing the impact of the Lisbon Treaty on the institution's legislative, representative, budgetary, and executive scrutiny roles.
- Analysis of fundamental parliamentary functions (representation, legislation, executive control, and budget).
- Historical overview of the European Parliament's powers prior to the Lisbon Treaty.
- Detailed assessment of legislative, electoral, and budgetary reforms introduced by the Lisbon Treaty.
- Critical discussion on democratic legitimacy, the "European Demos," and the representative nature of MEPs.
- Final judgment on the status of the European Parliament within the context of supranational and intergovernmental governance.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 The Election of the European Parliament
The European Parliament (EP) was the only institution of the European Union which was directly elected by EU citizens since 1979. Furthermore, it was the only directly elected multinational parliament in the world. The Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) were directly elected by universal suffrage for a term of 5 years. It is important to mention these characteristics of the European Parliament, “since the direct election of its members by universal suffrage is the most characteristic and essential feature of a parliament” (Palmer 1981: 3) and it emphasised the democratic nature of the Parliament comparing to the other institutions of the European Union. The election of the European Parliament was the only opportunity for citizens to directly influence EU politics. The electors legitimated the MEPs to represent their interests within parliament. Therefore, “…the European Parliament is the Union`s most open, public, democratic institution (Bomberg, Peterson 1999: 43).
Article 138 of the EEC Treaty in 1957 prescribed that “the Assembly shall draw up proposals for elections…with a uniform procedure in all Member States”. However the Amsterdam Treaty changed Article 138 in 1997 and provided that instead of a uniform electoral system, the election should be held “in accordance with principles common to all Member States” (Watts 2008: 137). These “common principles” included that “there should be an obligation to have a system of proportional representation in all countries” (Corbett et al. 2005: 16/17). In Contrast to the majority system, the obligation of proportional representation should have prevented the effect of “the first-past-the post”-system.
Summary of Chapters
1 Introduction: This chapter introduces the research question regarding whether the European Parliament functions as a "proper parliament" and outlines the methodology for the analysis.
2 Key Functions of a Proper Parliament: This chapter defines the essential characteristics and roles of a parliament in a representative democracy, focusing on representation, legislation, executive scrutiny, and budgetary control.
3 The European Parliament: This chapter provides an analysis of the functions the European Parliament performed within the EU prior to the implementation of the Lisbon Treaty.
4 The Lisbon Treaty and its Impact on the Powers of the European Parliament: This chapter examines the reforms brought by the Lisbon Treaty, detailing how the power of the EP in legislation, elections, executive scrutiny, and budgeting was expanded.
5 The European Parliament = a Proper Parliament: This chapter synthesizes the gathered evidence to critically evaluate whether the EP meets the criteria of a "proper parliament" through a comparative lens.
6 Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the findings, concluding that while the EP's powers have grown, it still lacks critical functions of a national parliament, such as the right of legislative initiative.
Keywords
European Parliament, Lisbon Treaty, Parliamentary Functions, Representative Democracy, Legislative Procedure, Budgetary Authority, Executive Scrutiny, European Integration, Political Legitimacy, Co-decision, Supranationalism, Intergovernmentalism, European Union Law, MEPs, European Demos.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this academic paper?
The paper evaluates the institutional nature of the European Parliament to determine if it functions as a "proper parliament" by comparing its powers against those typically held by national parliaments in Western Europe.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The work focuses on four major parliamentary functions: the representative function, the legislative function, the appointment and scrutiny of the executive, and the budgetary function.
What is the central research question?
The research asks whether the European Parliament is a "proper parliament," given that it carries out some, but not all, of the key functions that a standard national parliament would perform.
What methodology is employed in this research?
The author uses a comparative analysis method, first defining the functions of an abstract "proper parliament" and then comparing the European Parliament's evolving powers against these defined criteria.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main body covers the historical functional state of the European Parliament, the significant changes introduced by the Lisbon Treaty, and a critical evaluation of these powers in practice.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include European Parliament, Lisbon Treaty, Parliamentary Functions, Co-decision, European Demos, and democratic legitimacy.
Does the Lisbon Treaty make the European Parliament a "proper parliament"?
The author concludes that while the Lisbon Treaty significantly enhanced the EP's powers, it is still not a "proper parliament" because it lacks the right to initiate legislation and remains limited in several key areas.
How does the author view the "European Demos"?
The author argues that the lack of a shared collective identity or "European Demos" undermines the representative legitimacy of the European Parliament compared to national parliaments.
Why is the right to initiate legislation considered important?
The author highlights the right to initiate laws as a fundamental power of a "proper parliament," noting that the European Parliament’s lack of this formal right is a significant factor in its classification.
What is the author's stance on the future of the EU?
The author suggests the future of the EU and the EP is currently vague and dependent on whether the Union moves toward further supranationalism or a return of powers to Member States, influenced by the Euro-crisis.
- Quote paper
- Anonym (Author), 2012, Is the European Parliament a proper Parliament?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/424425
