Sir, – Roger Blackburn's suggestion that the EU is run by an unelected Brussels Eurocratic elite is untrue (January 19th).
EU laws are enacted by the democratically elected European Parliament and by the Council of Ministers. Each of the 28 ministers in turn is chosen by the democratically elected government of each state. The laws are proposed by the 28 members of the European Commission who are also selected by each government. The European Parliament is currently comprised of party groups, approximately 33 per cent of which are centre right, 20 per cent socialists, the remainder being smaller liberal centrists, greens and so forth. So, for all its flaws, the European Parliament is not dominated by any one party and has a significant socialist representation, unlike the US, which has only two political parties, one right wing and the other even more right wing.
Most importantly to my mind is what measures are being put forward to address the growing inequality between the “haves” and “have-nots” in terms of job creation and so on.
Few would deny that the EU needs to be streamlined and “rebranded” but rather than spending our time writing to newspapers maybe we should get on to our MEPs and urge them to get on with the job! – Yours, etc,
DAVID MURPHY,
Ardilea,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – Although Brexit has weakened the European Union, we should remember that this noble experiment in peaceful, voluntary and enlightened co-operation among member states is still strong. We should not surrender that vision to the prophets of doom, the grey beancounters with their talk of trade only, or those who, for their own sinister ends, would like to see a weakened EU. – Yours, etc,
PATRICIA O’RIORDAN,
Dublin 8.