Direct Democracy

Apparently the Constitution will bring more direct democracy. So says our Margot.

The constitution gives more direct power to the people… If you manage to collect one million signatures in a significant number of EU countries, you can ask the commission to propose a new law or policy,” she said.

They can always say no though. Besides a system where we can block legislation would be far more useful than proposing legislation, given the type of Meddling that usually comes from Brussels. Imagine what kind of groups might be able to get the requisite signatures and the agreement of the European Commission. Try proposing a liberal law that rolls back EU powers. Thanks but no thanks would be the reply. Offer instead an increase in Brussels powers and you can bet it would be presented to national governments. To me it sounds like a lever to override national governments, by using apparent democratic legitimacy. Seeing as such initiatives are likely to come from unrepresentative lobby groups, it’s not so much power to the people as power to the commission.