Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Which is more democratic?
The following email was sent by me to Ms Monica Frassoni (pictured left), an Italian politician and Italian Green Party representative, who is also co-chair of the European Greens-European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament.I sent the email after hearing her comments in this video (just after the two minute mark).
Dear Ms Frassoni,
I hope this email reaches you. I write to you from Ireland with regards to some comments I heard you make in the European parliament. You said and I quote:
"I respect the Irish vote. But no one is ever going to convince me that a referendum where half the population participated is more democratic than parliamentary ratification."
I must say as someone who voted No in that referendum it doesn't sound to me like you do respect the Irish vote. I hope I am very much mistaken on that. I must point out to you that it was considered quite a good turnout, certainly in comparison to previous EU treaty referendums. I would suspect too that if the result of the referendum had been different, you would have no issue whatsoever with the size of the turnout. Again, I hope I am mistaken on this.
The primary reason for my letter though Ms Frassoni is I'd like you to answer me the following question which has troubled me greatly since I heard your remarks:
How is parliamentary ratification, where none of the population participates, considered more democratic in your mind than a referendum which in fact actually allows for the population to participate?
I look forward to hearing your response.
Best wishes...etc.
# posted by United Irelander @ 1:19 AM 
© 2008 United Irelander.
