European Parliament

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European Parliament

The European parliament have undergone through a remarkable evolutionary phase in the recent past decades. This is from the original AECSC (Assembly of the European Coal and Steel Community) which was least empowered in decision making especially within the EU council into the current day status as an equal partner with EU council within basically all areas of policy making. The parliament initially carried only a consultative purpose but reforms experienced in the 1970s empowered it into a legislative body just as is the case with other parliament of the world. It was that empowered to enact laws of the land and these powers improved greatly after the ratification of Lisbon treaty (Clerck-Sachsse and Kaczyński, 2009, p. 1-2; Cooper, 2011, p. 1-4). Among other credits given to the parliament is its Endeavour to protect human rights within or even outside the confines of the union and has been using its power to ensure fundamental rights of persons are realized. It thus carries supervisory powers, budgetary powers as well as the legislative powers (‘The EU Civil Society Contact Group’, 2009, p. 1-4; Norton, 2007, p. 7).

The empowerment of the parliament is credited on two basic elements of empowerment, which are rulings by the ECJ (European court of justice) on the powers of EU institutions as well as formal treaty reforms that has taken place. The parliament developed own rules of procedure which had an impact on the judicial rulings (European Union, 2010, p. 2-8). For instance, back in 1957, the parliament had absolutely limited powers and had been set up by the government as a partial decision maker, which meant that the government would involve it while consulting for decisions and would as well ignore it. This therefore triggered the pursuit of its empowerment in the 1970s with direct election and budgetary reforms shaping the initial elements of empowering the parliament. Previously, the parliament was a composition of ‘part time delegates’ from other parliaments and therefore, the improvement to direct election ensured full responsibility of the chamber. Because of such empowerment, the parliament was acknowledged as an active participant in decision making on national policies and the court of justice actively involved the parliament in barely all matters of policymaking and such decisions, which previously partially involved the contributions from the parliament (Hix and Høyland, 2013, p. 172-173).

The 80s represented a period of increased empowerment to the parliament towards empowering it to carry the powers as it contains today. It is the world’s most sophisticated super national parliament despite the many challenges in political development that currently faces it. Nevertheless, it is to be appreciated that the parliament have amassed great powers in the recent past decades in regard to inter institutional arrangement in EU as well as in legislative capacity despite its struggle in effective translation of political power towards the EU electorates. This means that despite the increased empowerment that it has received in the past, the parliament has to deploy effectively its powers in order to gain higher credibility and legitimacy in organization. Clegg and Hulten analyze possible mechanisms to reform the parliament for increased empowerment and propose the following as basic steps necessary. It should improve on legislative responsibilities, have a better scrutiny of the European executive, bridge the gaps existing in national politics as well as heighten the public profile. Moreover, reformation of electoral process through enhanced links between MEPs as well as the voters and ensuring that parliamentary processes are transparent, efficient as well as accountable will improve on the reformation processes desired (Clegg and Hulten, 2002, p. 1-6).

The parliament received a boost in its powers and responsibilities after the ratification of the Lisbon treaty drafted in 2007, through which the parliament aimed at overcoming the challenge of voting unanimously in the council over single acts as well as having the capacity to create such single groups as the Euro zone which were previously not at its discretion. Flexibility through enhanced cooperation has therefore been enhanced in decision making by the parliament through the treaty. Other areas covered in the treaty were enhanced cooperation on security, justices, freedom as well as strengthened economic integration between the states in the Euro zone. Community policies such as taxation, European citizenship as well as social policies were equally considered in the treaty, which therefore indicate the new dimensions of powers vested on the parliament after the treaty unlike the limited powers, which it was entitled previously (Kurpas et al, 2007, p. 13-14). The treaty of Lisbon comprehensively empowers the parliament on democratic principles, which brings together the working of European parliament, the national parliaments as well as the role of citizens in democratic European Union. Representative democracy and participatory democracy are well envisaged to enhance collaboration of all organs involved in effective democratic regimes in the union with the basic responsibility sticking to the European parliament (Mayoral, 2011, p. 1-5).

The coming into effect of the Lisbon treaty in2009 brought great revolution in institutional decision making within the European Union and enhanced increased cooperation by the member countries (Craig, 2008, p. 109-110; ‘Treaty of Lisbon’ nd, p. 1-5 ). European Council president position was created through the treaty to aid in coordination of eth 27 member countries towards cooperation and increased ease of decision making by the parliament. However, despite such increased prospects by the treaty towards effectiveness by the parliament, Archick and Mix (2010, p. 1-3) questions the treaty’s effect towards improving the parliaments cooperation with international community such as the United States. The treaty fails to structure effective mechanisms to effectuate the efforts by the parliament to collaborate the European union and the united states as would be deemed profitable.

In conclusion, therefore, the European parliament would be celebrated of having made great steps towards being empowered since the 1980s. This is because prior to the empowerment, the parliament had only a passive role in decision making within the union. The structure of the union previously held the judicial system and the ministers to having powers on legislation and as such, the parliament only participated partially. However, the empowerment of the parliament has revolutionized the working of the union with democracy taking a lead. This implies that the institutions of decision-making and the citizens are included in decision-making (Matarazzo, 2011, p. 11-15). The parliament was empowered to oversee democracy thrive through legislative powers, budgetary powers as well as supervisory role (Archick, 2013, p. 1-4). However, despite great empowerment by the Lisbon treaty in 2009, the parliament is argued to be still weak in its capacity to render the responsibilities accorded due to poor institutional arrangement. This is shown by ineffective legislative responsibilities, poor scrutiny of the European executive, gaps existing in national politics as well as low public profile among others (Maurer, 2003, p. 227-229).

Bibliography

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