Global News Journal
Beyond the World news headlines
European Parliament’s theatre of politics
The European Parliament in Strasbourg
Every five years, the European Parliament gets an opportunity to show its muscle as it quizzes candidates for the next European Commission, the powerful body that enforces EU laws.
But rather than a forensic examination of the 26 nominees – the sort of in-the-spotlight inquisition the U.S. Senate puts presidential appointees through — the European Parliament has a tendency just to go through the motions.
The relevant committees act tough, a range of questions from across the spectrum are thrown at the candidates, the nominees sweat a bit before trotting out safe, well-rehearsed answers, and at the end of three hours everyone says what a rigorous examination it has all been.
That said, this year’s hearings have thrown up one or two candidates parliament looks inclined to reject, meaning the complete line-up put forward by Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso may have to be reshuffled or changed. Rejecting a candidate makes the parliament — which is keen to show its teeth — look tough. But at the end of the day it probably reveals more about the behind-the-scenes workings of the assembly, rather than its undying commitment to parliamentary democracy.
EU holds hearings, but who’s listening?
In the United States, Senate hearings to confirm presidential appointments are a Big News Story, with scores of photographers, TV cameras and journalists cramming into the committee rooms to follow the event live.
The European Union — which has 200 million more people than the United States and is a larger trading bloc — has something similar, with hearings before the European Parliament to confirm nominees to the European Commission, the 27-person body that enforces laws across the EU.
