Posts Tagged Referendum
Greek Expectations
Posted by Natalie Hamill in European Union on 02/11/2011
If there is one thing we should learn from the Eurozone crisis it is to expect the unexpected and, whatever you do, don’t breathe a sigh of relief too soon. With every hard-negotiated plan to keep the euro area afloat another twist emerges; for who could have predicted that Greece – given a lifeline just a week ago after an eleventh hour summit – would be so ready to cut its own rope and potentially take the rest of Europe down with it. Mere days after the markets bounced back and headlines declared there was ‘light at the end of the tunnel’ the Greek Prime Minister George Papandreou has left many in the EU horrified by his decision to put the latest bailout package to a Greek referendum.
Legislative term limits give public opinion a power-up
Posted by Nick Cowen in America, Politics on 14/10/2011
Via the Monkey Cage, we learn of a new and interesting academic study examining how public opinion effects law-making across US states. The results offer some tentative support for a theory put forward in our report, Total Recall. There we argued that direct democratic mechanisms can complement representative democracy but primarily as a way to limit the powers of elected officials.
EU’ve Got Mail
Posted by Carolina Bracken in European Union on 10/08/2011
Buried amidst the media flurry sparked the recent riots, a seemingly inconsequential nugget of news has slipped largely undetected beneath the public radar.
AV: It’s that button on the TV remote, right?
Posted by Nick Cowen in Politics on 23/03/2011
By Tom Shakhli
Here’s a question: what event of national significance is coming up in the next six weeks?
Now, be honest – what came to your mind first, Prince William marrying Kate Middleton, or the referendum to change the Westminster voting system to the Alternative Vote (AV)? Now another question: which one do you know more about? I ask this because while the media informs us about every detail of the Royal Wedding, unless I’ve missed something, the public don’t have a say in the matter (though it would be quite fun). On the other hand, the issue that we do have the opportunity to influence through our vote is the one that we appear to know less about.
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Danish Lessons
Posted by Natalie Hamill in European Union, Politics on 12/01/2011
On Tuesday, a group of Danish citizens were given the go-ahead to challenge the legality of Denmark’s ratification of the Lisbon Treaty. The UK government would be well advised to pay close attention to the proceedings as it finalises its European Union Bill.
Ah begorra!
Posted by Pete Quentin in European Union on 29/04/2008
As a date for the Irish referendum on the Lisbon Treaty looms ever closer (and at times then drifts further away, depending on the political climate and EU’s chances of securing a ‘Yes’ vote) it seems the tussle for votes has become smothered in political confusion, writes Claire Daley.