EU - On the path to dictatorship?

[Reg Martin]

I'm surprised how little comment and concern the replacements of elected leaders with unelected appointees seems to have raised. Berlusconi may have been a bit of a clown, to say the least, but as far as I can see he has been replaced with someone who has not been elected and who just happens to have been an EU Commissioner in the past
Greece has also replaced an unpopular but elected leader with an unlected one who co-incidentally happens to have been a vice-president of European Central Bank in the past

 

[Mad Cyril]

Don't forget Germany in the background pulling the strings.

It's just like 1939 except this time we have Nuclear weapons.

 

[Neil_F]

If Britain were in the Euro and about to be locked out of the bond market who do you think the EU elite would try to install as PM? Peter Mandelson probably - what a horror that would be.

The whole thing is a mess. Germany are pursuing monetary policies that caused the Great Depression yet seem convinced that everything will be alright if they can just install the right government. The sheer arrogance of the whole thing is amazing. Can anyone see a resolution on the horizon? I can't.

 

[MK Shrimper]

Can anyone see a resolution on the horizon? I can't.

The United States of China.

 

[osymandus]

India also today declared theor willingness to continue trading with close links to the eurozone.Problem is both Italy and Greece have declared these are intrum govetments and both are having elections early in the new year.

 

[Napster]

I once commissioned Mario Monti to write an article for a book I was working on. That is all. He was very nice.

 

[steveo]

The United States of China.

But how long will they last in their current state? The people are starting to want to earn more than 3 bags of rice a week. How many more cities and factories can they build that nobody lives or works in?

They probably have quite a few years left but sooner or late the people will want more - will they be able to protest?

 

[pickledseal]

I'm gutted Italy haven't given Ballotelli a chance as PM.

 

[BrettieAngell]

I'm gutted Italy haven't given Ballotelli a chance as PM.

couldn't do any worse than Berlusconi!

 

[Tangled up in Blue]

If Britain were in the Euro and about to be locked out of the bond market who do you think the EU elite would try to install as PM? Peter Mandelson probably - what a horror that would be.

The whole thing is a mess. Germany are pursuing monetary policies that caused the Great Depression yet seem convinced that everything will be alright if they can just install the right government. The sheer arrogance of the whole thing is amazing. Can anyone see a resolution on the horizon? I can't.

I saw Mandelson on Newsnight last night being grilled by Paxman about Europe and the Euro.He made a lot of sense to me(and I wouldn't count myself as much of a Mandy fan-at least before he was EU Trade Minister circa 2004-2008).

 

[canveyshrimper]

Wasn't Gordon Brown and before him John Major unelected? Ok they were MP's but didn't win a General Election, although to be fair to Major he did beat windbag Kinnock in 1992.

And while Gordon Brown was ultimately an utter disaster as both Chancellor and PM he did keep us out of the Euro.

 

[Firestorm]

Wasn't Gordon Brown and before him John Major unelected? Ok they were MP's but didn't win a General Election, although to be fair to Major he did beat windbag Kinnock in 1992.

And while Gordon Brown was ultimately an utter disaster as both Chancellor and PM he did keep us out of the Euro.

If by unelected , you mean leader of the party which got the most MPs at an election , thats correct, however they were elected as MP's .

Technically no PM is elected by the people, the leader of the party is elected by the party. The people vote for an individual who may or may not (Independents stand occasionally) belong to a party.

 

[Reg Martin]

Here's a hypothetical UK equivalent to the current Greece situation. In a couple of years time the UK economy is doing very badly and there is prolonged widespread unrest on the streets, Cameron and Clegg announce that in order to restore international confidence in the UK, they will step down and an unelected person who holds the confidence of the international community, let's say a leading businessman or banker or even a senior member of the British Armed Forces, will be an 'interim' PM until next election
Would we be so laid back about that or is the current situation in Greece and Italy, the old story of unlected leaders being OK if they're pursuing policies the left agree with?

 

[canveyshrimper]

Here's a hypothetical UK equivalent to the current Greece situation. In a couple of years time the UK economy is doing very badly and there is prolonged widespread unrest on the streets, Cameron and Clegg announce that in order to restore international confidence in the UK, they will step down and an unelected person who holds the confidence of the international community, let's say a leading businessman or banker or even a senior member of the British Armed Forces, will be an 'interim' PM until next election
Would we be so laid back about that or is the current situation in Greece and Italy, the old story of unlected leaders being OK if they're pursuing policies the left agree with?

A good question, but I am not sure if this could happen here. If Cameron stood down (nothing to do with Clegg) he would have to ask the Queen to dissolve Parliament and a General Election would ensue. Despite his resigning Cameron would remain PM until after the Election.