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Essay Plans - Government and politics in the UK
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9 markers & 25 markers essay plans for the listed topics in AQA Government and Politics A-level paper 1
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The EU3 ways the commission/council of ministers/EP has a democratic deficit. (9)
P – European commission.
Ex – non-elected officials, developing/proposing policies, draft legislation, low accountability.
Ev – in charge of 33 areas, agenda-setting under Delores pushing early idea for Euro,
An – swear oath to EU, not working for a political gov, dwindling influence Barroso’s commission w/
EP.
P – European ‘council of ministers’
Ex – no. of councils, bargaining and negotiating on interests, non-elected officials, yet legally
sovereign body.
Ev – some voting is a simple majority, 14/27, only on procedural matters, requires less legitimacy.
An – share power w/ EP & QMV requires majority voting of 55% states and 65% of population.
P – European parliament.
Ex – only directly elected, legislative power is shared w/ council of ministers, not powerful enough.
Ev – low turnout, impact legitimacy when appointing EU president like Charles Michel & rejecting
Buttiglione.
An – expansion of ‘ordinary legislative power’ in 1999 via Lisbon Treaty, democratically elected one
can amend/block legislation.
3 problems facing MEPS. (9)
P – balancing national & EU interests.
Ex – MEPs are elected to represent the interests of constituents and work towards collective good of
EU.
Ev – transnational party groups based on ideology > nationality. Cons. Party MEPs used to sit in EPP
move over concerns of federalist ethos.
An – variety of transnational party groups, EPP (RW) S&D (LW) RE (centre) so align easily.
P – complex decision-making processes.
Ex – EU’s decision-making process is lengthy, stages of negotiation, consultation, and review.
Ev – MEPs come from 27 different countries, EC propose, committees like ENV & LIBE amend, MEPs
vote, must agree with council.
An – intergovernmentalism, EU cooperates when in interests of the states when needed, consensus.
P – strained relationships with national governments.
Ex – elected reps of the EU but also with their national governments and parliaments, tensions.
Ev – disagreement of EU and individual member states over policy decisions, carbon neutrality 2050.
An – EP, high turnover of members v national parliaments; skilled negotiators, understand both
contexts.
, The EU
The European Commission remains the dominant institution in the process of EU policy making.
Discuss (25)
exec body acts for the EU. Unique initiate/draft/enforce law.
most powerful institution in the EU regarding policy making.
in accordance with its unique powers, still subject to regulation with other bodies.
P – monopoly on legislative initiative.
Ex – key power, sole right to initiate draft legislation in most areas, considered by EU institutions.
Ev – climate change, carbon neutrality by 2050. (economic) toxic waste spill Cote d’Ivoire (criminal).
An – ensures coordination, challenged parliament’s right like national parliaments, request drafting.
Ev – still bound to listen to requests but remain the authority, refuse requests, 2008 transnational
collective conventions.
P – acts as an impartial mediator between different EU member states.
Ex – complex/conflicting interests, need to balance different countries & wider interests of EU.
Ev – mediation service in EC, proposed reg to promote fairness/transparency between states.
An – sort it out but internal divisions, DG structure wastes considerable time in turf wars.
Ev – lack of control internally but being a mediator puts them above states and other institutions.
P – responsible for implementation of EU laws/reg.
Ex – acts as a ‘guardian of treaties’, power to investigate, sanction and take legal action against govs.
Ev – adopts technical measures, assisted by committees of member states & public/private lobbies
to enact comitology.
An – proper procedure yet Santer entire commission resigns after allegations of fraud.
Ev – less dominant, ECJ impose rulings on nation states, Dijon’ Case impose Single European Market.
Dominant in terms of policy making, power is not absolute.
Vulnerable to criticism, work w/ EU ins. member states, civil society groups to represent all.
Allegations of a democratic deficit within the EU are more justifiable in the case of some
institutions than others. Discuss (25)
‘Democratic deficit’ within EU refers to idea of EU decision-making not transparent.
transfer of policy from national gov with high accountability to EU w/ less accountability.
Some EU institutions accused of contributing to democratic deficit more than others.
P – European Commission.
Ex – significant policy makers, responsible for initiating legis, implement laws, no accountability.
Ev – appointed by national governments rather than by voters and serve long terms of 5 years.
An – C+B, council of EU nominates commissioners, in agreement with nominated president, subject
to approval by EP.
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