European Parliament explained - 2024 update

This 2024 update of our 2017 video gives a short yet comprehensive introduction of the European Parliament. Among other things it covers the composition, powers and tasks of the European Parliament.
For more information on the EU and its institutions please subscribe to our channel.
In this series we explain complex aspects of the EU in a comprehensive and understandable way. If however, despite our diligence and help of EU expert Teun Janssen, we have left something out or made a mistake, please be so kind to tell and forgive us.
Corrections/mistakes:
* In the map of Europe some lines got lost in the animation process. It now accidentally shows Czechia and Slovakia as one country, and Ukraine and Hungary as one as well. Thanks to
@Mixtonman_ and @ja1111112 for spotting it.
* There are some spelling errors in the country names on 1:31. We are aware Gelgium and Lithuaina are not the correct country names... Lesson learned to double check every word on screen...
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Become a Patron: / ciceroni
With Ciceroni we seek to be a guide to European culture and history. We make videos on little known subjects as well as more ubiquitous ones, ranging from current affairs like the European Union, to historic events like the Tulip Mania, and even mythological stories like those of the Greek Gods. In all these videos we strive to present the subjects in a objective manner and within their complex context.

[@markio1105]

Demystifying the EU seems like such an obvious thing that could be done on UA-cam, yet so few channels do it. This seems like a great video to fill the void!

[@Ciceroni1]

Thanks a lot :) Let us know what other EU related content you would want to see, maybe we can make it in the future :)

[@TheMickydowling]

​@@Ciceroni1 It might take a lot of work perhaps but I would like to understand the dynamics in parliament on an ongoing basis. A bunch of things are passed each month but how did the parties lie on the issue? What amendments did they press for? Why? Maybe one could even cover notable behaviour of national parties. If this channel produced something approaching that, I would watch every video for the foreseeable future

[@zuzanastruharova3262]

Great video as always 👏🏻

[@Ciceroni1]

Thanks!

[@ChrisLev]

Keep up the great (and much needed) work!

[@Ciceroni1]

Thanks!

[@maciejcholewinski467]

Thanks

[@ja1111112]

Genuinely best video about European Parliament.

[@Ciceroni1]

Thanks a lot!

[@godlikelaw]

Still complicated however it’s probably impossible to simplify it further. Do you have videos on other EU institutions?

[@Ciceroni1]

We do :)
ua-cam.com/play/PLqNq8AGWK_cmguZHPRMxrO-leUD5H-Dsr.html

[@gillybeans131]

Great video! One of the best I've seen to explain how the EP works. But why do they still go to Strasbourg one week every month? Why "because France"? 🤔🤔

[@Ciceroni1]

The slightly longer answer is that member states really want such institutions in their country. It brings a lot of high-paying jobs as well as prestige and power. Remember how countries lobbied hard to get the EMA to relocate to their country after Brexit.
This maybe most valuable for the European Central Bank and the European Parliament as they are most influential. France therefore benefits from having the EP in Strasbourg and would experience a negative economic and political impact if the EP left the city. So even though everyone in Brussels agrees that this system is ridiculous, including the french. No french president that wants to be re-elected at home, would want to take the pain of closing the EP in Strasbourg. And remember that France can veto any such proposal even if all other countries agree. Therefore: because France :)

[@gillybeans131]

@@Ciceroni1 I see. Thanks! 🙏🏼

[@akashgarg5224]

Thank you for explaining it ​@@Ciceroni1

[@Mixtonman_]

Great video! But what happened to the map? Why is Czechoslovakia back together and why is Ukraine and Hungary connected?

[@Ciceroni1]

Yeah, that is indeed weird... Some lines must have gotten messed up in the animation process without us noticing. I also see that the UK is split up in its individual countries. Thanks for pointing it out, we will add it to the corrections in the comments.

[@lyanporto]

Watching this from Gelgium.

[@Ciceroni1]

We appreciate it!

[@CatholicSoldierX]

1:35 Ah yes the prestigious country Gelgium. They were ones called the bravest people in Europe. Brave little Gelgians.

[@gillesm.2093]

Located in Strasbourg, France

[@Watergox]

May I say that this video verges on the caricature and perpetuates some rather un-true tropes? I totally agree that the parliament should get the power to put forward new laws, the EC and CEU should be fully unified and they should eliminate the Veto system. However, saying that the Council is full of bureaucrats or that the European Commission is unelected is BS. The latter is full of members of government from the member countries in a way not much different from how the Bundesrat works. And the commission is formed in a way which is not much different from that of any national gorvernment; that is, voted in by the parliament upon proposal by somebody else. In Italy the President picks the prime minister and they then decide together relating to the members of the government, in a way that is possibly less democratic than that adopted by the EU.

[@susanacarneiro5706]

Loved it! I'm going to vote Volt in the European Elections! The only european party :D

[@Ciceroni1]

Thanks:)