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  • Wolfgang LuchtW_Lucht@mstdn.social
    Nov 11, 2024, 12:59 PM

    Imagine an existential crisis. A major international conference.

    The EU commission president isn't attending.
    The US president isn't.
    China's president isn't.
    India's PM isn't.
    France's president isn't.
    Germany's chancellor isn't.
    Brazil's president isn't.
    Russia's president isn't.
    South Africa's president isn't.
    Canada's PM isn't.
    Japan's PM isn't.
    Australia's PM isn't.
    ...

    I've been an Earth system scientist for 30 years now. We used to say we have to turn the corner by 2020.

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  • hazelnot :yell:hazelnot@sunbeam.city
    Nov 11, 2024, 3:03 PM

    @s1m0n4 @W_Lucht von der Leyen is probably who they're talking about because in practice her position is the closest to the position of president/prime-minister in a country as head of the executive branch of the EU government

    Funny how she didn't have to be elected to get there 🙃

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  • s1m0n4s1m0n4@ohai.social
    Nov 11, 2024, 3:23 PM

    @hazelnot @W_Lucht She was elected by the heads of state and the EU Parliament. It's an indirect election. In some EU countries, like for instance Italy or Germany, the Prime Minister/Chancellor isn't directly elected by the population. The vote goes to a party and it is up to the winning coalition (the ruling PMs) to choose the chief of the executive power.

    Another key difference is that the EU executive power is held by both the Council and the Commission.

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  • hazelnot :yell:hazelnot@sunbeam.city
    Nov 11, 2024, 3:31 PM

    @s1m0n4 @W_Lucht I mean, the fact that PMs/chancellors are not directly elected despite holding most of the power in the countries they're in is undemocratic as hell

    So is someone with as much power as Noblewoman McMonebags being appointed without being democratically elected (cause very few people would vote for an aristocrat whose only goal is to further the interests of corporations and other arostocrats)

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  • s1m0n4s1m0n4@ohai.social
    Nov 11, 2024, 6:45 PM

    @hazelnot @W_Lucht I can speak for Italy only but I suppose that Germany, given the similar history, shares the same underneath reasons.

    The indirect election of a PM holding executive power ensures a democratic system.
    Mussolini rose to power and simultaneously implemented a cult of his personality. So when the leader of a party deviates from the party agreed policy he/she can lose the support from the party and easily be replaced.

    People vote for a program, not a person. Humans have flaws.

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