EU decision making: Watch out for the red balls…!

Last Sunday I attended an “e-café” in Amsterdam, organised by aspiring MEP Marietje Schaake. It was an enjoyable afternoon filled with open discussion about “the brand Europe”, EU lobbying, and education about the Union. Although the somewhat thirty attending individuals were seemingly a 100% from the same political party as ms. Schaake - the liberal D66 - most of the ladies and gents - probably in their late 20’s, approx. 40% female, 60% male, - were not afraid to voice critique of some of ms. Schaake’s comments.

But that’s the subject of my next post. One of the most interesting parts of the meeting was the contribution of Robert Schliessler, a 38 year-old cinematographer. He works for a film company which is producing a series called “Le Camping”, in which European history is made understandable for 12 year-olds, by scaling it down to the size of an international camping. The trailer speaks for itself, I guess..

Aside from the fact that I think this is an excellent way to explain Europe to the young ones that will some day soon form the next generation of voters, th!nkers and Euro-politicians, he showed us an example of the means he uses to explain the European decision making process to kids.

Schliessler’s hypothesis is, that in European bargaining and decision making, the optimum alternative is often voted out in favor of a solution that may be worse, but encounters less opposition: the so-called “path of least resistance.” He gave us all a green and a red ball, and let us vote first for a proposal with the green ball, then against one of the alternatives with the red one. Here’s me and the other participants ‘virtually’ voting on Turkey’s accession to the EU, the alternatives being
A) Turkey can join
B) A partnership’s all they’re getting
C) Not only Turkey, but any country can join - let’s get Kenya in!

http://www.vimeo.com/3441540

- my vote was for A, incidentally, which in the long run I believe is a realistic and wise decision.

Although perhaps not all decisions are made according to this principle of least resistance, it can serve to explain and accentuate a few things. The fact that decision making, especially in a place as complicated as Europe, is not always - I would even say rarely - rational, or optimal. The fact that lack of political willpower can be detrimental to the resolution of problems. And the fact that one naysayer can do more damage a multiplicity of YAY!-shouters can repair.

An example might be the Lisbon Treaty: the original Constitution was blocked by just two red balls, and now Europe is trying to muddle through a slightly less sensitive version of the document, instead of addressing the root causes of the opposition. By evading referenda, some countries have even taken away the red balls altogether.

Of course it can be frustrating to see an initiative you have worked long and hard on, bite the dust. But maybe that means it just wasn’t quite up to scratch yet. Maybe you can achieve optimum solutions, if only you work hard to explain them, instead of simply denying people a say in the process. I voted for the constitution in the Dutch referendum and would strongly consider putting my green ball in the Lisbon Treaty-tube as well. But they’ve taken our balls, and sealed the tubes.

Dammit. I want my red ball back - even if it’s just to play with.

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