The Lisbon Treaty in a nutshell

A very basic description of what I think is the most important thrust of the Lisbon treaty.

The Lisbon Treaty ends the current European Union and establishes a new EU to be a country on the world stage. The government and primary legislature of this new country will be the unelected commission, and the council of ministers have a questionable mandate.

There are plenty of other issues that should concern people, but this is the main thrust and objective of the treaty's architects.

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[jokakutihuti]

Can you name a country in the world where the government is directly elected? Every democracy in the world is a compromise between direct and representative democracy.

That being said, The EU is not a country and The Lisbon Treaty will not make it one. Legally it is an union of independent member states. The Commission is however the executive branch of the EU, calling is a government isn't wrong per se. But holding The EU up to standards not present anywhere on the globe seems a bit absurd.

[christianpatriot125]

Every tier of American government & legislature is directly elected. It may lack the transferrable vote but the fact is that Bush is president because ordinary Americans voted for him. In other democratic countries the government is chosen by a directly elected assembly such as the Dail. The EU has neither the direct election nor the parliamentary one.

With Lisbon the EU will be seen as a country by the rest of the world. If it looks like a duck etc

[doctorcrapable]

well this Treaty stinks, and it stinks bad.

[spartacandream]

Very true!

[spartacandream]

@jokakutihuti The United States is a union of independant member states. Calling the american Executive branch a government isn't wrong per se. Also, Americans don't directly pick who rules them. An electoral college chooses who runs for president, then we vote from the remaining candidates.

You don't think that america is a country? Haha, have the people with the same logic argue that to our government, you'll be speaking american english before you know it. We'll have a new state.

[xjuhox]

You should held third referendum!!  ;)

[charlieiscool1000]

VOTE NO or give up all your powers to the EU if u vote yes u will be shitting on ur grandfathers graves who died to protact your country do not give it all up VOTE NO for own sake

[Spenner56]

Did you know that the constitutional courts of Germany and Austria have blocked implication of large sections of the infamous Lisbon treaty/constitution ?

Justice & Home Affairs,tax and finance,social security,education,policing and military etc. will REMAIN in the hands of democratically elected Germans and Austrians.

Neither will the EU Court of Justice rule over/on Germans !

What a shame this will not be the case in Ireland if the treaty is ratified.

Google . No2Lisbon2 for details.

[aiyic]

Very good video.

[wutru]

The American system is way different then the way the EU works.

Anyway, go see this /watch?v=BYh-zjqafbg

or search Agora EU in youtube.

It's a really good debate between two leading European politicians, from the Greens and Centre-Right.

[putavyraitis]

Nonsense. From wiki: "The President of the Commission and all the other commissioners are nominated by the Council. Appointment of the Commission President, and also the Commission in its entirety, have to be confirmed by Parliament."

It sounds to me that it is that it's quite fair. Council is legetime reprezentitives of each countries, and EP is elected diretly. Isn't that's democracy?

Or do you want, that comition president whould be elected directly? (see more)

[putavyraitis]

Nonsence. From wikipedia: "The President of the Commission and all the other commissioners are nominated by the Council. Appointment of the Commission President, and also the Commission in its entirety, have to be confirmed by Parliament." It is just like in many countries - we elect parliament, and it decide, which goverment runs the country. Euoroparliament is elected directly. so, what's the problem?