The problem with the EU is that it has no clearly undisputed leadership. Or rather that it has too many centres of power, each of which thinks it ought to be the dominant one. There are the national Heads of Government, the European Commission, The European Parliament, the new President. And in the interests of 'democracy' opinions vary widely, and there is no concensus about which is pre-eminent.
Back in the days of the Common Market, when there were only 6 nations involved and it was only a trading unit, this didn't matter too much. Now that it is far bigger what has happened is that the least democratic element of the EU, the Commission, is calling the shots. This cannot be right.
We need the EU. We need it to ensure that each european country doesn't become totally irrelevant in an increasingly global world. But we don't need the EU in its present form. The EU is in desperate need of radical reform to make it genuinely democratic. Tinkering around the edges will solve nothing, it is just papering over the cracks.
Can this be done? I don't know. I do know it will take a hugely gifted and talented politician to make it happen. The trouble is, I can't think of any!
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