Get facts on the EU straight
This will be news to the Heads of Government of the 15 EU member states, including An Taoiseach, all of whom have been democratically elected by a majority of voters in national elections.
Since they are the elected leaders of EU member states, surely it is both logical and legal for them to take major political decisions together on behalf of the Union and its citizens. Surely, it is also logical that they should have a forum, namely, the European Council.
As Mr O’Driscoll resides in the United States, it might be helpful to draw a comparison between the European Council and the US Administration. While the President is elected by the people, most members of the cabinet are routinely drawn from outside the ranks of elected politicians. Does Mr O’Driscoll also question the democratic credentials of his own country’s Government?
In the remainder of his letter, Mr O’Driscoll puts forward the novel thesis that the Heads of Government could refuse to fill vacancies within the European Commission, thus depriving some member states of the right to nominate a Commissioner. This notion will also be news to them. Since the European Council is composed of the representatives of the member states and since each of the 15 governments has demonstrated its resolve to maintain its right to nominate a Commissioner why should the European Council act in the way Mr O’Driscoll suggests? Common sense, not to mention realpolitik, suggests otherwise.
Peter Doyle,
Director,
European Commission Representation,
European Union House,
18 Dawson Street,
Dublin 2.
