Britain, France, and the European Union - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 115

usually concerned with big issues of foreign policy, an economic crisis,
or admission of new states.
Leadership of the Council of Europe has been an evolving function.
With only six countries originally, coordination was easier, but with
each enlargement, it became more difficult. Unanimity became harder
to achieve. Moreover, since 1957 the scope of the EEC-EU has grown.
By analogy to the parliamentary systems of most democratic countries,
the leader was to be a member of the legislature. Thus, the council presi-
dent was to be like a prime minister. Yet the president did not have the
authority that comes from a popular election based on political parties.
Furthermore, the president could not secure his power from a majority in
a parliament, presenting the issue of how he or she was to be chosen. he
solution was a rotating presidency. The term of office is only 6 months, too
short to establish authority or a comprehensive set of policies. Moreover,
the council needed a way to choose its president, given the disparity in
size of the member states from 82 million in Germany to 500,000 in
Luxembourg. The solution was to do it by chance—casting lots.
The short time of leadership with the revolving presidency has occa-
sionally promoted environmental issues. Because of the impossibil-
ity to accomplishing much in 6 months, some countries entitled to the
presidency have focused on an environmental question as being easier
to attain. For example, for the period of January through June 2013 the
Irish presidency concentrated on this. Topics were to be the Seventh
Environment Action Program, the Emissions Trading Scheme, and leg-
islation on water, carbon dioxide emissions from cars and vans, and ship
recycling. On the other hand, this does not always work. The previous year
the Danish presidency made similar promises but ended up spending its
time on the euro financial crisis.
The European Parliament plays the role of the lower house of the
legislature. While originally members were appointed by their countries'
governments, elections have been direct since 1979. There are 754 MEPs.
The body has become a hotbed of environmentalism. Members organize
themselves according to “groups,” which are the equivalent of parties. The
biggest are the Socialists and the Peoples Party, with two to three hun-
dred members each. This latter is center right on the political spectrum.
The Greens-EFA are midsized with about 50 members. For many years
its head has been Daniel Cohn-Bendit, a fiery advocate nicknamed Danny
the Red both for his radical politics and his red hair. Although represent-
ing a German constituency, he was born in France, where his parents had