Democracy in crisis: - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

Democracy in crisis: the impact of the eurozone crisis on the Greek parliament

Dr.

emmanuel

sigalas

CARLETON UNIVERSITYSlide2

outlineThe Greek crisis: economic background and implicationsThe Greek crisis: the main political consequencesThe delegitimation

of the parliament

Why is the Greek parliament so unpopular?

Impact on the legislative and control function of the Greek parliament

The chances for democracySlide3

Is Parliamentary democracy in Greece under threat?After all…Elections took place on January 25.

For the 15

th

time in just 40 years

Never before did the citizens have that many parties to choose from

7 parties in the parliamentSlide4

Economic backgroundA weak economy already before the outbreak of the global crisis in 2008Entry into EMU a blessing and a curseBlessing: lower interest rates, stronger currency consumption and imports grew.

Curse:

Exports

didn’t and Greece can’t devalue its currency

 Trade Balance and

Payments Balance increasing deficit Debt (which was already high)

EMU is not well equipped for asymmetrical shocks. No fiscal union.

Bailout under conditions of extreme austerity (memoranda with the troika in 2010 and 2012).Slide5

Greek unemploymentSlide6

Greek GDP per capitaSlide7

The political consequencesUnprecedented pressure on the whole political system:GovernmentParty system

Parliament Slide8

WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE PARLIAMENTIt’s an institution: it has a life of its own, regardless of what party or individual is in government or in the parliamentIt’s the heart of democracy

:

it has to keep pumping, regardless of (1) who is in power, (2) how popular the government is, (3) whether there is an economic crisis or not



The fate of the parliament should not be identical to the fate of the government (party)



If the government (party) goes down, the parliament should not go with it.Slide9

Trust the governmentSlide10

Demise of the party systemSlide11

pressure on the PARLIAMENTFrom the peopleFrom the governmentSlide12

Tend to Trust the ParliamentSlide13

Tend NOT to Trust the ParliamentSlide14

Hostility toward parliamentary DemocracySlide15

More HostilitySlide16

Why is the parliament so unpopular?

Because the government controls the parliament (and the government is unpopular)

Government can usually pass any legislation it likes

Government can circumvent ordinary legislative procedure

Ministers effectively immune from prosecution

Ministers and PM may be excused from questioning time

self-serving

MPs earn much more

MPs enjoy other privileges (assistants, expenses)

MPs are immune from prosecution

Mutual mistrust

Limited accountability

Limited transparency and accessibility for citizens

Any opening is perceived as weakness that political opponents may exploitSlide17

The government discrediting the parliament?“There

is no doubt, that in society’s conscience the

parliamentary process has been discredited

, and what we are experiencing during the past years is a dehydration of democracy itself. Of course history teaches, that in periods of crisis the depreciation of the parliament and of the institutions grows enormously. It teaches also, that

the

policy

against the people demands

, and imposes, a discredited parliament. What we are going through in this country, however, […] is

without precedent

. I will speak in numbers.

Four hundred executive laws

have come through here [the plenary]. One hundred and eighty of them only during the past two years.

Forty acts of legislative content

have gone through.

Nine bills under the very urgent procedure

, that is [examined and voted] just in two days, during the past two years. The

Prime Minister shows up only to vote. He never comes to [answer] the questions

that are submitted by the [parliamentary group] leaders or the MPs. He abolished the PM Time. The government ministers follow his example. The

parliament no longer deliberates

, it does not discuss in a political sense, it has acquired a

strictly implemental role

. Amendments [are submitted] in hiding, in the night, past the deadline. Bills of hundreds of pages in a single article

!

”

(

A.

Tsipras

2014

).Slide18

glossaryExecutive laws: decrees issued by the president of the republic upon minister’s recommendation (no parliamentary involvement)Very urgent procedure acts: parliamentary committee meets once, plenary decided on single session (max. 10 hours)

Legislative content acts:

cloture motions issued by the president of the republic upon minister’s recommendation. Parliament has to ratify within 3 months. In between they remain valid.Slide19

Legislative outputSlide20

Questions to the pmSlide21

Current questionsSlide22

Questions discussed in plenarySlide23

Summing upGreek parliament was weak and dominated by the government well before the crisisThe crisis deteriorated the situationLegislative and control functions have been affected, balance has shifted in favour of the government

Parliament is even more powerless than before

At the same time its legitimacy has deteriorated rapidly and sharply

Public support at an all time low

Public support depends on government support, which in turn depends on country’s economic performance…Slide24

What are the chances for democracy?What are the chances the government will continue abusing its legislative prerogatives?

What are the chances the government will continue ignoring the opposition and the parliament?

What are the chances public support for the parliament becoming independent of public support for the government?

What are the chances public support for the government becoming independent of economic performance?

What are the chances for economic growth and employment in the near future?

Instead, what are the chances that Greece will default on its debt, exit the Eurozone, devalue its currency, and let savings vanish? What will happen then to

the parliament?

Do the math!Slide25

Questions? Comments?THANK YOU!emmanuelsigalas@gmail.com