Politics of The Europe

Powers of the Parliament

Appointment and dismissal of the European Commission, Legislative powers (shaping EU laws and policies), Budgetary powers

When can P. Minister be dismissed in the parliament?

As most European countries use proportional representation systems and so construct coalitions, a change in a coalition

Commissioners cabinets

At least 3 nationalities must be represented in the cabinet, head/deputy head must not share nationality with Commissioner, at least half recruited from within the Commission services

Consensus Model

Emphasis on the broad point, and not on imposing the will of the majority. Cross-Party (Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Italy, Finland)

2 bodies of the European Council

European Council/Council of EU

Who elects president of commission?

European Parliament.

Largest party group in Parliament

European People's Party

Semi-Separation Qualities: (France)

Executive directly elected, considerable powers, right to nominate, but not to dismiss the prime minister, may dissolve the national assembly and call for new elections NO ONE can dismiss the president -and- Prime minister and cabinet responsible for government policy, must maintain majority support of an elected legislature ONLY the legislature can dismiss the PM

Fusion of Powers (Balance):

Executive has power to dissolve the legislature and force new legislative elections, early elections, inn case of conflict between the legislature and executive, executive can effectively ask the people to decide the issue.

Fusion of Powers Qualities:

Found all over Europe, executives responsible to the legislature. Constitutionally the legislature runs the executive, if he loses motion of no confidence, he must resign.

Finland (Other Nordic States)

Working parliament as opposed to a debating society, focus on small print legislation in committee work, parliament has more control into what the government does at the EU level

Proportional Representation Systems

MULTI MEMBER CONSTITUENCY. Legislative seats are allocated according to each party's percentage of the nationwide vote

What can president of commission do in elections?

Reject the nominee, decide how the portfolios are assigned among the Commissioners, can reshuffle the Commissioners

Treaty of Lisbon

Required the European Council to wait until after the EP elections and consult the newly elected EP members before nominating the Commission President (2007)

Majoritarian Cons

Resulting MP is not necessarily the most representative of the voters' preferences, Incentivizes strategic voting instead of sincere voting, representation at the national level may not match voter preferences at the national level

Roles of Parliament

Appointing and dismissing governments, law-making, scrutinizing governments (oversight)

Three broad categories of PR system

List system, mixed system, single vote system

How often are European Parliament elections held?

5 years

Coalition

A combination, union, or merger for some specific purpose

Closed List System

A form of PR in which the party puts forward a list of candidates in the order they will be elected. Italy, Portugal, Spain

Referendum

A general vote by the voter on a single political question that has been referred to them for a direct decision.

Council of European Union

A legislative branch; enacts into law Commission's proposals; composed of ministers from each EU nation; requires qualified majority

Threshold

A minimum of votes in order to get any seats at all; Strategic interest of the larger parties/Concerns about small parties make it hard to form a stable government

Who can vote in Europe?

Adults 18/older (16 in Austria)

Oversight

An effort to oversee the executive. While law-making power varies, all parliaments play an important role in overseeing the executive

Council of Europe

An international organization founded in 1949 with particular emphasis on democratic development, human rights, rule of law etc. NOT AN EU BODY AT ALL!!

Which country replaces PM in whom they do have confidence?

Belgium, Germany, Poland, Spain

European Council Meetings

Called summits, every 6 months.

Majoritarian systems

Candidates or parties that receive the most votes win

Valence Characteristics

Characteristics that voters find important in determining the quality of a candidate

European Council

Collective body that defines EU's overall political direction and priorities. NOT A LEGISLATIVE BODY, (est. Treaty of Lisbon).

Ordinary Legislative Procedure

Combines the European Parliament and the Council. Agreement from BOTH chambers is necessary to pass legislation.

Austria

Committees devise legislation, full parliament virtually certain to pass

What do electoral laws do?

Determine how the votes that are cast are transformed into seats in the legislature.

Commissioner

EU reps of each of the 28 states, one of the 28 is the President of the Commission (THE CEO)

Treaties of Maastricht

Gave respect to the appointment and dismissal of commission. (Veto Powers)

Ireland (PR)

Has the smallest constituency in any European PR system (4 seats)

Finland, Latvia, Luxembourg (PR)

Have larger constituencies (12 seats)

Prime Minister

Head of government, party leader, able to control a legislative majority (might be coalition). Can appoint a cabinet, agenda-setting, dissolve legislature. Thrown out of office by the decisions made by a few powerful party players. This is often in response to public opinion.

Committees in Commission

Help commission with policy setting. Committee---> administrative and political wings of EC---> Council of the EU and EP for final decision

Germany

Highly developed committee system, focusing on technical details (less subject to partisan interests), government flexibility allows opposition input on non-politicized matters, bills amended in committee and then generally passed unanimously by full parliament

District Magnitude

How many members from each constituency get to serve in the legislature

Cross-Party Mode

Interactions between actors in parliament and government are based on cross-party interests (MPs and ministers will combine across party)

Inter-Party Mode

Interactions between actors in parliament and government are predominantly determined by party affiliations

Non-Party Mode

Interactions between actors in parliament and government happen without regard to party

Which countries governments and parliament are almost entirely fused: almost all ministers are also MPs?

Ireland and UK

STV Cons

Large areas If voters can cross party lines, parties are weakened Gives independent candidates power

Separation of Powers Qualities:

Legislator cannot dismiss executive (vice versa). President=Chief

Fusion of Powers Qualities II:

Legislature can dismiss executive, parliamentary where the legislature can bring down the executive. Executives are not chosen directly, rather through an elected parliament. No-confidence procedure=Impeachment. People choose legislatures directly.

List System

Method of proportional representation by which candidates are ranked on the ballot by their party and share seats based on votes secured. Each party has as many candidates as there are seats.

Minimum amount required for EP party group?

Minimum required for group: 25 MEPs and a quarter of member states represented (currently 7 states).

College of Commissioners appointment process

National governments agree on the President of the EC candidate, each member state then nominates one Commissioner

Commissioners balance pressure from...

National governments, geographical area where they are from, the Commission portfolio to which they are assigned, the EC as an institution (Commission interests), their own political party

Junior Minister

Not members of the government, but appointed to head sub-departments within individual gov't departments. In coalition cabinets they often come from a different party of the prime minister. Monitor the behavior of the minister/essentially serves as a check on the most powerful party

Compensatory mixed system

Parties awarded seats earned in constituency; lesser parties receive additional seats until their share is equal to that earned in party list vote. Matched in a way that (voters+list) is proportionate to the votes.

Flexible List

Party sets the list, which voters can alter if they agree. Estonia, Slovakia, Lithuania, Czech Republic, Norway, Austria

Main functions of European Commission

Policy initiation, Monitoring of policy implementation, Mediator between the 28 member states, and Mediator between the EP and the Council of the EU

What controls the relationship between parliament and executive

Political Parties

As powers of EP increased...

Power of the Council of EU decreases, equal but at conflict at times.

Semi-separating

Semi-Presidential system.

Majoritarian Pros

Simple, Each MP is solely responsible for their constituency, Tends to produce single-party majority governments

STV Pros

Single issue voters can vote as they wish Voters who want to support women and minority candidates can Voters are in full control of their votes Voters can express preferences about party direction Voters can vote sincerely

Trilogues

Small informal negotiations between teams from the Commission, the Council of the EU, and the EP that aim to facilitate compromise. After 3 readings, efficient and transparent.

Appointment Dismissal of Commission

The EP has always had the right to dismiss the European Commission. (They just never did it)

Spatial Factor

The arrangement of seats in the chamber reflects the nature of discourse and the role of parliament in law making. Majoritarian arrangements sit the opposition across the government, Consensus arrangements sit together.

European Commission

The executive branch of the EU, made of political wing and administrative wing.

Majoritarian Model (MP)

The government has a majority in parliament, government can rely on getting all of its legislation through. Inter-Party (UK, France, Greece, Malta)

The smaller the Magnitude...

The more big parties will benefit

The larger the Magnitude...

The more smaller parties benefit/more proportional result.

European Parliament

The only directly elected institution in the European Union. Used to be for coal and steal. Comparable to national legislation, limited powers.

When the power of the parliament increases...

The power of the party (in power) increases. Due to a high level in party unity.

How do European Parliament members get elected?

Through national elections, advertising delegates of nation's parties.

Head of State

Typically seen as a high figurehead, above politics.

Mixed System

Typically, voters have two votes for a MP: 1. Vote to choose a local constituency MP 2. Vote to choose a party list (Either elect incumbents or other dudes)

Vote of no Confidence

Vote taken by a legislature as to whether its members continue to support the current prime minister. Depending on the country, a vote of no confidence can force the resignation of the prime minister and/or lead to new parliamentary elections.

Open List

Voters decide which candidates are elected, personal votes. Finland, Poland, Switzerland, Luxembourg

Single Transferable Vote (STV)

Voters pick individual candidates & rank them, there is a quota for how many votes a candidate needs to get a seat, when they exceed it they win. Not necessarily based on parties.

Referendum Cons

Weakens/undermines representative institutions Voters might vote against a sensible policy because they want to punish an unpopular establishment (remember the EU constitution vote in France) The majoritarian nature of a referendum might override minority rights (Swiss 2009 vote to stop building minarets, which went against the advice of nearly all political parties)

When do committees become most effective?

When small and numerous. Often, they are access points for interest groups and individual citizens, (Farmers, Teachers, Etc)

Fusion of Powers

an alternative to separation of powers, combining or blending branches of government. Typically called the parliamentary system.

Separation of Powers

the division of power among the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government. Typically involves president.