How is power wielded in the European Union? The first point to note is that it happens in a very specific manner, one quite different from that to which we have become accustomed in our national systems.

In each member state there is an identifiable, principal centre of power. In the United Kingdom, it is the Prime Minister, in France it is the President or the Prime Minister, depending on whether France is in a period of ‘cohabitation’ or not, and in Germany it is the Federal Chancellor, even if the presidents of the Länder retain significant powers. Naturally, the individuals who hold these functions exercise their power within a defined, limited framework that incorporates checks and balances, but they are clearly at the centre of each political system. At the same time, in these member states there is as a general rule a majority and an opposition which alternate in exercising power. There are exceptions to this, for sure–for example the grand coalition currently in power in Germany–but the division between a majority and an opposition presenting itself as an alternative is the normal democratic system.

Power Centres

Within the Union, things are quite different. There, a number of power centres exists and no principal centre can be identified. By way of example, the European Court of Justice has an essential role in the way the Union functions: it would be no exaggeration to say that on several occasions its decisions have marked turning points in the construction of Europe, even though such influence goes well beyond that of a judicial institution. In the same way the European Central Bank (ECB) plays a key role: enjoying complete independence and not having to react to any government which might dictate budgetary and fiscal policy, the ECB is truly the principal player in economic policy-making.