Futuríveis

While some supporters of “ever closer union” in Europe worry about losing the support of the Catholic church, others welcome the Buttiglione battle. They say that it is high time that some real politics was introduced into the European Union. Only by arguing about values, rather than economics—so the theory goes—can EU politicians engage ordinary citizens, and convince them that the Union does more than regulate the curvature of bananas. The federalists hope the battle of Buttiglione will mark the coming-of-age of the European Parliament. The parliament, as they see it, did what parliaments are meant to do—hold the executive to account. Nor did the European Parliament divide along national lines. Rather, the division was ideological, with conservatives backing Buttiglione and the commission, and socialists, greens and most liberals coming out against. This looks like real pan-European politics, rather than simply another forum for international horse-trading. As federalists see it, elected politicians have asserted themselves against the bureaucrats; European democracy has begun, not before time, to shove aside elitist technocracy.

The Economist (requires subscription)