Three NGOs with expertize in Eu politics issues suggest that the political parties should set a list of for their candidates to the EU Elections. "The election system and the lack of internal democracy of parties led to the fact that, on the candidates list for the elections to the European Parliament, in May 2014, there managed to appear only the names of those preferred by the ones who (now) have the power within the parties, namely the presidents of the parties", shows the common press-release of Romanian Center for European Politics (www.crpe.ro), Europuls and Expertforum.

Details from the quoted press-release:

The representation of our country in the European Parliament (EP) should not rely solely on the will of a very small group of politicians, but also on professional criteria, based on integrity, so that we, as Romanians, will be represented by trustworthy people who can do more. At least we, the electors, want capable and incorruptible (honest) candidates, with whom we will not be ashamed if they get to represent us.

Considering the methodology-based way of operating of the EP (where the work of committees and of the political families are the ones that count), we propose the following criteria that the political parties in Romania should to take into account when finalizing their lists of candidates.

The ability of the ones being part of the EP to influence decisions taken in the EP, and thus within the entire European Union, depends on (examples):  

1. The political family of the candidate. Thus, the political families having more members are more likely to impose their agenda. In order to count within political family, you should have an excellent activity that to recommend you. Usually, people who are at a second or third term are more likely to be in the public eye, after they made themselves conspicuous in the first term/s.

2. Entrusting a report. The members of the EP (MEPs), to whom reports on various subjects are entrusted, have great power to influence the final vote, through the recommendations they make. However, not anyone is entrusted with the duty / honor to present reports. Members of the EP receive the status of ‘rapporteurs’ from the Parliamentary Commission where they are working, based on the expertise they have demonstrated, based on the outcome of the negotiations from within the Parliamentary Commission and based on the image they have created of themselves. A rapporteur will always intend for his or her report to pass and for the recommendations to be integrated into the legislation of the community. Thus, he or she must possess professional, intellectual and political competences that will allow him or her to negotiate and impose their views.

 

List of Criteria – exemples:

Criterion-

(indicators) to fulfill the criterion

expertise

    Ability to read and understand complex documents, complex sector-related and cross sector-related policies affecting several Member States;

    Ability to gather information, coordinate teams of people who collect and analyze technical information;

    Superior knowledge of the field (preferably from an executive position); competence

    Good knowledge of the European institutions and their power;

    Ability to command respect on the basis of professional authority.

and negotiation skills

    Very good knowledge of foreign European languages (previous working experience in at least one foreign language, same for written working papers, etc.).

    Experience in negotiating teams, ability to create consensus;

    Ability to easily express oneself, ability to persuade;


    He / she has not been involved in corruption scandals;

    He / she has not been penal pursued

    He / she has not promoted projects or values that contradict the national and European public law;

    He / she was not a collaborator or employee of the former security services.

support

    Political activity supported nationally and internationally;



The original document (in Romanian), here

Translation by Anca Afloroaei