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European Commission
22.03.2021
22.03.2021
The Brussels located European Commission is described as the most powerful bureaucratic institution in the world, as it possesses supranational, direct competencies over the EUMS. The central role of the EC consists of shaping legislative proposals and suggesting common policies, overseeing their implementation accordingly within the MS and importantly as well the responsibility for the EU budget’s and representation of the EU in international trade negotiations.
In respect of the prominence and importance of the EC, it is regularly under criticism in several aspects, where I find the question on democratic legitimacy of special interest. While commissioners and the EC president are required independence from political party influences, the EP interpretation of the Spitzenkanditaten system translated it into another complex structure of border-crossing party politics.
Hence, the questions arises how the EC could change the system to improve it towards a more understandable and transparent election for the general public? To what degree, would EU activities and policies find more or less acceptance among the EU citizens if the EC became more perspicuous, entailed by the question how might affect the popularity of nationalistic and EU-sceptic parties?
McCormick, J., (2020) ʼEuropean Union Politicsʼ, 3rd edition, London: Macmillan, Chapter 10: The European Commission, pp: 158-174.
