Just when the « Conference on the Future of Europe » seems to be dead in the water, suffering from a lack of any proper media attention, given how it now appears clear to most what kind of a rigged exercise it has become – not that this should surprise – some are pushing for CoFoE to become … permanent.
In a speech to MEPs, Former European Council President Herman van Rompuy urged to avoid making the Conference on the Future of Europe a “one-off exercise”.
His argument?
“Democracy is in crisis, and it will not be over after the conference, so we need to continue our work together to improve democracy at all levels of power.”
Those taking part in the conference may wonder whether the conference, which is beset by questions about its legitimacy, constitutes a proper democratic exercise, but he’s not alone.
In EUObserver, a number of academics point out that French President “Emmanuel Macron is hoping to harvest its results before the French presidential election”.
They are right about that, of course, as we’ve pointed out, but they seem to fail to see the upside that if Macron is re-elected, he may no longer bother with the whole thing.
They argue that “the French presidency should open the way for the continuation of the conference.”
Get ready for a “Perpetual CoFoE”?
Real Conference on the Future of Europe 