French Politician Criticizes EU Parliamentary Proceedings as "Farce" in Tweet

On April 25, 2024, a French politician took to Twitter to denounce the parliamentary proceedings in the European Union as a "farce." The tweet comes amidst a steady decline in the number of written parliamentary questions (PQs) tabled in the EU Parliament over recent years.

Data shows that between 1995 and 2005, the number of PQs in the EU Parliament grew steadily, peaking at just under 15,500 in 2015. However, since then, the figure has dropped dramatically. In 2023, only 3,703 questions were processed, less than a quarter of the volume seen in 2015.

Analysts suggest there has been a concerted effort to reduce the use of parliamentary questions in the European Parliament. The right of MEPs to submit written questions has been tightly constrained in recent years. Critics argue this practice has significant downsides, including a chilling effect on MEPs' ability to pursue issues they regard as important.

Why this matters: The sharp decline in parliamentary questions raises concerns about transparency and accountability in the EU's legislative process. As elected representatives, MEPs rely on written questions to scrutinize the actions of EU institutions and hold them accountable to European citizens.

The criticism from the French politician comes at a time of heightened tensions between some member states and EU institutions. In France, left-wing politicians have recently faced police investigations and event cancellations over comments criticizing Israel's actions in Gaza. While the specifics differ, the broader context suggests growing frustration among certain political factions with the state of discourse and democratic processes at both the national and EU level.

Key Takeaways

• French politician denounced EU parliamentary proceedings as a "farce".
• Number of written parliamentary questions in EU Parliament declined from 15,500 in 2015 to 3,703 in 2023.
• Analysts suggest efforts to reduce use of parliamentary questions in EU Parliament.
• Decline in parliamentary questions raises concerns about transparency and accountability in EU's legislative process.
• Criticism comes amid tensions between member states and EU institutions, with some political factions frustrated with discourse.