When comparing positions of #EP / Commission & Croatian non-paper on #CoFoE one can identify a number of open questions & points of contention. Here thread with a non-exhaustive list of 14 main issues/questions that still need to be addressed/settled: (1) How exactly to involve citizens in #CoFoE? Citizens' Agoras, Citizens' Dialogues, Citizens' Assemblies?; (2) How binding are results of citizens involvement for deliberations in Conference Plenary? (3) How to (actively) involve/include citizens in (final) plenary meetings?

Although process still ongoing, here some (preliminary) thoughts/ideas reflecting lessons from current (s)election of #EU leadership. Thread acknowledges that there is no 'perfect process' & assumes that Lisbon Treaty won't be (fundamentally) reformed in foreseeable future: (1) #Spitzenkandidaten process suffered damage but it is here to stay. #GenieIsOutOfTheBottle: political parties will stick to it. BUT: process needs to be (continuously) reformed in light of previous experience while adapting to specific circumstances at beginning of new cycle;

Hearing many exaggerations these days. So, here an attempt to put things into perspective: (1) yes, (s)election of new #EU leadership involves power politics in #EP & #EUCO & between them, but that's how politics & democracy function – at all levels incl. #EU – get used to it; (2) yes, #Spitzenkandidaten process not perfect, but it is here to stay although it needs to be reformed before 2024 #EP elections (incl. introduction of #TransnationalList) – 2019 experience should provide lessons to everyone (including European & national political parties);

Four key reasons why far-right, illiberal 'anti-forces' (anti-#EU; anti-€; anti-migration) not likely to form sustainable coalition after #EUelections2019: (1) protagonists (like Salvini, Le Pen or Órban) quarrel over who should lead #AntiForces -> no one willing to subordinate; (2) #AntiForces follow different strategies vis-à-vis ‘old establishment’ -> some ready to enter coalitions with mainstream parties (see e.g. FPÖ in A), others exclude any form of cooperation;