Views on the European Union?

Question

does anybody think that the EU is great idea and should become a federal superstate. if it doesnt, Britain will lose its power in the world because its already taken by the usa. so wouldnt it be obvious to make a european federation to get that influence back. it would also bring us A LOT of benefits. ill name one off my head...Defence. if we bring our defence budget together we would be the second best - only to america.

thanks

Answer 1

I don't think it should become a federal superstate, but I am very pro-European. I don't like the idea of a country having power in the world. We should have power over our own countries and over our institutions like the EU where power is shared, but not over distant countries where we have no business being.

Answer 2

Back in 1976 at the tender age of 22 I asked a pro-european campaigner that "as I was just a normal man in the street what benefit would the EEC be to me". 31 years later I'm still waiting for the answer. It was set up for the big boys and it will only EVER benefit the big boys.

The day that my cigarettes, fuel, working hours, holiday entitlement, bank holidays & pension are in line with the rest of Europe then I'll vote for closer ties. Until then they can put the EU where the sun doesn't shine.

Answer 3

Whats good about the EU is that it has the flexibility of 27 separate countries with its own identities and views.  A superstate would negate that.  Each country has its own foreign policy that should not be controlled by one government.  I agree there should be one foreign minister but he must represent the union only on items that we all agree on or present the differing view of the union, the foreign minister should be answerable to his counterparts in each state not the other way around.

You also must remember four EU member states are neutral in accordance to their constitutions, Ireland, Sweden, Finland and Austria so foreign policy cannot be harmonised nor can defence.

It would not benefit Britain or any EU country to bond into a superstate, the power of the EU lies in the fact that it has four of the worlds strongest economies and a multitude of smaller countries that can easily adapt to an ever changing world.

Answer 4

I'd rather be ruled by an elected government than a bunch of unelected corrupt eurocrats, thanks.

Answer 5

The EU is simply economic fascism.

Answer 6

The EU is corrupt and unelected.

It is on the road to being a dictatorship.

The constitution has been rejected when a vote was allowed but they persist in going ahead. In other countries like the UK they avoid having a vote because they know it will be rejected.

Economically it is a huge drain on the UK.

Defence: do you trust the French to defend you? They are all about self-interest. The Spanish navy are more likely to sink a British fishing boat than any enemy ship.

It's conquest by stealth.

Answer 7

No. I think it should be disbanded, unless Russia, China, India, Belarus and Serbia join it.

Answer 8

I would like to see us go beyond the EU and become the United States of Europe. It will be better for us socially, economically, and for security purposes! Sadly, we have too many people reading the Daily Mail who latch onto all the mistakes of the EU, which are small in comparisons to all the benefits that we have gained since becoming closer to a united federal superstate!

Answer 9

Europe,has always turned on itself when it comes to wars,we have lost the best of men anyone could wish for,when you buy a poppy just think of the carnage of the two world wars it stands for,if EUROPE was a super state then and only then can we as a Nation feel that we belong and that our Island status is no more.

Answer 10

to the answer above by bil2002... the european parliament IS an electbody representative of the people of ALL memberstates. the last election was held in '04 or '05 (i think) and i voted groenlinks.

The european unionion is for a now, an economic collaboration between memberstates, as it was inteded when it was founded in 1958 (forgive me if its the wrong year)

Last year a constitution was supposed to be passed. but it got blocked by referendums in france and the netherlands voting Non or Nee. This constitution was to give europe more identity as a state, a single president, one forgeign minister, and a new european court. it was also supposed to cut down in the burocracy. It is this idea of a superstate that was rejected by those referendums.

In the recent months a new treaty was negotiated under germanies presidency. New agreements have been reeched on the future of europe. and this future, atleast for the coming time, will not involve a european superstate. instead governing sovereignty will remain in the hands of the memberstates' parliaments.

p.s. americas economic power is weining. its military presence is occupied, and china is booming towards overtaking the US as a supoerpower.

on top of that. our militaries already cooperate, via the United Nations aswell as Nato.