Call to transparency

It is unusual for the European Commission to express an opinion about issues that do not fall under its competence. Therefore, it seems quite meaningful that an official recommendation was made to European parties in order for them to agree before the 2014 European elections on a candidate that might take over as president of the commission in case of victory.This recommendation starts from the plausible assumption that through this the President of the Commission, and the Commission itself, might be democratically legitimised and consolidated. Such a political profile could be definitely be good for the institutional system of the European Union. It could help democratise the most important personal decisions of the Union, which are usually made behind closed doors, and therefore guarantee the transparency that has been lacking so far.Participation in the European elections, which has constantly waned over the years, might become much more interesting.On top of that, however, the recommendation of the Commission is aimed at making sure that it’s not only national parties going to the polls, but also the European parties to which they belong, i.e. the European People’s Party (EPP) or the Party of European Socialists (PES). The Commission also suggested that the European elections take place on the same day, instead of making individual member states choose a date – over a four-day period – as they have done so far in line with their traditions.These suggestions can be followed only if the member states and the parties accept them. These are not new ideas that the Commission is trying to promote through recommendations. European Parties, especially the two most important ones, the EPP and the PES, have been talking about them for over 20 years, when the Maastricht Treaty (1992) assigned a new constitutional role to European parties. Since then, European Parties have gradually evolved in line with the political system of the European Union, which has come to a new level with the Lisbon Treaty (effective since December 2009).Originally it was simply a matter of drawing together national parties that shared the same orientation. Today, they are well-organised federation-like associations, which find their expression not only in traditional parliamentary groups but also in international congresses, action plans and leading party conferences. They actively influence the decision-making process of EU institutions, including the European Council of Heads of State and Government and the European Parliament.In European parties and groups, conferences and congresses are organised in order to set the stage for European consensus. For a few years now, the conditions with which parties have to comply when it comes to their activities have been regulated in a statute, envisaging as well the option of having their activities financed from the EU budget.The formation of public opinion and the participation in the decision-making process is a basic condition to help the citizens of a community understand it and accept it. This applies also to the European Union, whose success depends on the acceptance and the participation of its citizens. Therefore, the debate about its organisation and the competition around the power in its institutions must be public. The bearers of this public debate are the political parties that – just like any other social forces active within the Union on different levels – must make sure – along the lines of a gradual integration – that the will and the interests of the citizens of the Union they are representing are properly promoted.Not only in theory, but also in practice, the development of European parties has for long been a very important factor for the unity and the consolidation of the Union. However, the media are paying little attention to this development. Whereas national parties attract great attention from the media, their European peers remain in the shadow of the Cabinet Council and of the Commission. The European Parliament and the groups through which the European parties are active are in no better shape.Therefore, the initiative of the European Commission is very praiseworthy, since it is taken in the interest of the democratic transparency and the participation of all its citizens.