Guy Verhofstadt

[Bean]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...ion-President?

"“Spitzenkandidat, when there is a backroom deal inside a political party or between political parties, I can tell you people are not much involved in this,” he said.

“You need to involve the citizens, you need to give them the possibility to vote directly for a spitzenkandidat. Not only a spitzenkandidat from their country but from other countries, so all Europeans have to have this possibility.”

The Belgian MEP said the EU should have “trans-national” lists to enable the public to vote for Jean-Claude Juncker’s replacement in 2019."

Why does he think citizens need to be involved?
Some kind of democratic deficit perhaps?

[BlasterBates]

https://www.express.co.uk/news/world...ion-President?




Why does he think citizens need to be involved?
Some kind of democratic deficit perhaps?

Who voted Theresa May to be PM in July 2016 ?

[Bean]

Who voted Theresa May to be PM in July 2016 ?

The more pertinent question is, how can she be got rid of?

Oh yes, a vote by the general public - is that the same process for the Spitzenkandidat?

[WTFH]

The more pertinent question is, how can she be got rid of?

Oh yes, a vote by the general public

Nope. Her party could kick her out. The general public in the UK do not elect a prime minister.

[BlasterBates]

The more pertinent question is, how can she be got rid of?

Oh yes, a vote by the general public - is that the same process for the Spitzenkandidat?

indeed it is....

MEP's can vote out the President of the Commission whenever they want. In fact if you remember they sacked an entire commission in the 1990's.

and as you pointed out, it was the democratically elected MEPs who proposed Juncker in the first place.

[Bean]

indeed it is....

MEP's can vote out the President of the Commission whenever they want. In fact if you remember they sacked an entire commission in the 1990's.

and as you pointed out, it was the democratically elected MEPs who proposed Juncker in the first place.

Yes, democracy once removed isn't?

Like a friend of a friend....

[BlasterBates]

Yes, democracy once removed isn't?

Like a friend of a friend....

A bit like MP's who can change their Prime ministers and other cabinet ministers whenever they like and without asking the electorate.

[Bean]

A bit like MP's who can change their Prime ministers and other cabinet ministers whenever they like and without asking the electorate.

Except for the fact that every single voter of the PM (conservative party) would have been voted into their own respective seats by the UK public.
To be clear, we the UK public can change the entire make-up of both major parties, who then in turn vote for the PM/Leader of the party.

The same is not true for MEPs, as we only vote in the UK MEPs.

[malvolio]

indeed it is....

MEP's can vote out the President of the Commission whenever they want. In fact if you remember they sacked an entire commission in the 1990's.

and as you pointed out, it was the democratically elected MEPs who proposed Juncker in the first place.

Although you may recall the UK were vehemently against his appointment, citing his lack of experience at that level and his supervision of Europe's biggest tax haven: which is probably why Germany and France wanted him...

[WTFH]

To be clear, we the UK public can change the entire make-up of both major parties, who then in turn vote for the PM/Leader of the party.

"we the UK public" are not a campaign group, nor a block vote. The UK public voters are individual people, each of whom is allowed to place one vote for an individual MP. None of the UK public vote for a party, but an individual (who may be a member of a party).
It is possible to be a member of a party without being a member of parliament. An individual UK voter (not "we the UK public") cannot change the entire make-up of two parties, instead based on the majority of votes in a constituency, a candidate will be nominated as the elected member of parliament for that constituency.

So, separate from the members of parliament are the members of the party.
Members of the party are not elected by the public in an open vote. You sign up, you pay your dues, you become a member of the party. As a party member you get to vote for your party leader. If your party has an overall majority of members of parliament, then your party leader can become the prime minister.