image: amersfoort

The EU itself is more democratic than the UK. The EU parliament is entirely elected, whereas half the UK parliament is not (the commons is, one lords isn’t). That’s one up for the EU.

The EU President is selected by elected representatives, the UK head of state is selected by no–one. That’s two up for the EU.

In all other respects (council/cabinet, PM/Presidency, commissioners/ministers, etc.), it’s much the same: decision makers are selected by elected representatives.

That why, for democracy, it’s EU 4, UK 2.

So why do so many Brexiters claim otherwise? Why do they seem to think that an unelected monarch is more democratic than a President selected by a parliaments? Why do they think that a parliament that’s only half elected is more democratic than a parliament that’s entirely elected? Why do they think that Commissioners, selected by national parliaments then by an entirely elected parliament, are less democratic than ministers, selected by a half–elected parliament? Unfortunately, it’s difficult to be positive about people who refuse to let facts interfere with their beliefs, especially when their fantasies are used to threaten their homeland with dissolution.