The video discusses the democratic nature of the European Union (EU) and the influence of citizens' votes. It highlights the complexities of EU governance, with multiple institutions and varying degrees of influence. The EU was established to promote peace and prosperity among European nations, but it also seeks to gain international power.
The video outlines two options for creating a democratic union of independent nations: allowing citizens to vote for national politicians who then make decisions for the Union, or allowing every citizen to vote directly for an independent institution that can make binding decisions. The EU has adopted a mix of both approaches.
The video then discusses the four main institutions of the EU: the European Council, the Council of the EU, the European Commission, and the European Parliament. The European Parliament is the only part of the EU that is directly elected by citizens in the European elections.
The video concludes by stating that the EU is not as democratic as most of its member states, but it is democratic. The struggle to make the EU more democratic is closely tied to who holds power over what. The video encourages citizens to vote and care about how their political institutions change and develop, emphasizing that extreme things can happen through elections.
1. Being a citizen of the European Union means that many aspects of our lives are regulated by a large entity, often perceived as a bureaucracy.
2. Many Europeans believe that their vote in the EU elections doesn't count, and that the EU is not democratic.
3. In democratic states, public policies are based on the will of the people, but the people are not a coherent entity.
4. International politics are not democratic, but anarchic, with no central authority powerful enough to ensure fairness or enforce laws.
5. The EU is a construct that tries to have rules and laws for its member nations that are actually enforceable, as the European Court of Justice is able to make binding decisions.
6. The EU was originally founded to ensure peace between European nations and prosperity for the continent, but it's also an attempt to gain international power for its members.
7. To create a democratic union of independent nations, you have two options: let everybody vote for national politicians who then make decisions for the Union together, or let every citizen vote directly for an independent institution that's able to make binding decisions.
8. The EU has four main institutions: the European Court of Justice, the European Council, the Council of the EU, the European Commission, and the European Parliament.
9. The European Parliament is the only part of the EU that is directly elected by citizens, in the European elections.
10. The European Parliament has become more powerful over the past two decades, able to approve new laws that can be binding for the member countries, and vote on how the EU budget is spent and on international treaties.
11. The EU Parliament officially can't propose new laws on its own, which is often the core of the argument that the EU is not Democratic enough.
12. The EU is not as democratic as most of its member states, but it is democratic.
13. If you don't like decisions they make, you can look up what your representatives voted for and vote them out.
14. The struggle to make the EU more democratic is closely tied to who holds power over what.
15. The EU keeps changing, and you, as a citizen, are not only voting on the current politics but also on what the system will look like in the future.
16. There are many parties and politicians that vow to make the EU Parliament, and therefore your vote, stronger.
17. Currently, it's equally important for the EU who you vote for at home, because these are the people who have the most influence in the European Union right now.
18. Voting and caring about how our political institutions change and develop is one of the most powerful things we can do as citizens.
19. The last few years have shown that extreme things can happen through elections.
20. If we don't take part in the struggle for power that is politics, others will.
21. And we might not like what they decide for us.
22. Because Europe is an important topic for us, this video has been translated into as many European languages as possible.