A snapshot of European democracy

By Michael J.W. Stickings

From the BBC: "After the summer recess, members of the European Parliament return to Strasbourg."

In an effort to boost efficiency, and to keep conflict to a minimum, only one MEP will be allowed into the legislative chamber at any one time, for a maximum of 15 minutes -- it's called "rotational legislative autocracy," a "neo-democratist" system designed to empower individual legislators, prevent majoritarian voting blocs from dominating Parliament, and, generally, ensure that the European Union remains as impotent as possible. Here, MEP #433 is voting on a bill to restore French colonialism in Tunisia -- and it passed, given her single "Oui" vote. (That controversial bill was overturned 11 minutes later by MEP #434, who used his single "Nein" vote, and his 15 minutes of autocratic fame, to object strenuously to the restoration of French colonialism and to make similarly controversial remarks respecting the Sudetenland.)

(Alright, I made that up. Or did I?)