Thread by @jonworth

It's been nagging at me for a long time...

Something is *wrong* with this 9th term of the European Parliament?

So I've tried to assemble my thoughts into a blog post
jonworth.eu/whats-up-with-…

Summary in the thread...

In the 2 years since the 2019 EP elections I think the EP has struggled for 5 reasons

1️⃣ The result of the EP election itself - now you need 3 groups for a majority (was 2 before), and the turnover of MEPs was the highest ever - 58% new MEPs

2️⃣ von der Leyen being imposed by the European Council was a hit for the EP. The EPP would sooner have had Weber, or Timmermans or Vestager, than von der Leyen

3️⃣ Leadership of political groups is a mess. Weber has no project in EPP, Iratxe García hasn't revived a declining S&D, Cioloș doesn't lead Renew that's anyway in the shadow of Macron. Even Greens, ECR, The Left have various struggles, and iD can be ignored anyway

4️⃣ von der Leyen isn't someone who enjoys parliamentary debate as her predecessor Juncker did, and she keeps her Commissioners on a tight leash. She has neither the need nor the volition to really work with the EP

5️⃣ COVID has compounded all the problems - it has slowed down the EP's work still further, prevented new MEPs really getting up to speed, and slowed down the Commission's legislative agenda

With 3 years to go until the next EP elections the EP could put a lot of this right still...

Would welcome views from astute EP watchers @mvanhulten @garethharding @nwbrux @QuentinAries @dorufrantescu @cgs_atl @DaveKeating @CatherineDVries @ibuscke @ronpatz !

/ends