Find out how participants of last year's MEU experienced the event!

Marjorie Thomas

All MEU participants came to Strasbourg with the wish to confront the political theories they learned on the bench of the university with reality. This was the case: we all got a clearer vision of what the job of a parliament is. MEU 2008 gave us the opportunity to understand not only the European political decision-making process but also the democratic decision-making process in general.

Indeed, MEU 2008 confronted us with the plurality of democracy. In a democracy, all opinions deserve to be heard. Each opinion has a say in the decision-making process. As a citizen, you know that our society is made of a plurality of diverse viewpoints. You have your own opinion and you have to respect the others, but in theory you are not obliged to make the effort to understand these other opinions. You must rarely face this plurality.
As a Member of Parliament, you can not neglect the other opinions. They are very important since they influence the outcome of the decision-making process. Although you are perfectly convinced by your own standpoint, you have to work with this plurality: that means listening to these other opinions, trying to grasp them, thinking about how you could build coalitions with the other fractions in order to achieve your goal. MEU taught us that the point is actually not to overcome the opposite opinions to impose your views. The outcome of the European parliamentary work can only be a consensus between fractions. Taking the plurality of the views into account and achieving a consensus that satisfies the minimum goals of your fraction is a great challenge.

Some of us probably came with plans of political career in mind. Maybe yours have been confirmed by this experience… But is it a realistic plan? MEU taught us that the ideal MP is a kind of superman. He has an impressive set of qualities: he perfectly knows all the members of his fraction and of the other fractions and how to convince each of them. He is constantly in contact with the ones and the others, he uses all breaks and lunch times to discuss and design strategies. He is creative and original to highlight his opinions and convince his adversaries. He is active in the building of coalitions; perfectly knows the strategies of the opposition and try to make concessive deals with it. He is a great speaker and works twenty-four hours a day...  So, are you really still wishing to start a political career?