Are national politicians mere parrots?

PrestonDaly

If you happen to read a selection of Uk as well as Irish papers you cannot help but be amazed at how synchronized all government policies are.

Ireland to raise retirement age

http://www.independent.ie/business/personal-finance/pensions/hanafin-warns-of-longer-work-life-1907603.html

UK to raise retirement age

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article6788425.ece

This happens on lots of issues. The carbon tax is another issue which is presented as a nation decision when it is infact being implemented Europe wide at the same time.

So as the title suggests, are national politicians merely parrots of their EU superiors? Seems to be the case.

P. Breathnach

Politicians and those who work in public administration generally pay attention to what happens in other countries and adopt or adapt ideas from them. In Ireland's case, we used to ape British policies because our systems are fairly similar. Since we joined the EEC/EC/EU there has been another well of ideas from which to draw.

It's not necessarily wrong.
- Some issues, such as the pensions problem, arise in many places at about the same time.
- In addition, there are problems such as global warming or energy security which are more effectively addressed by international co-operation.

Scofflaw

A lot of the problems faced by individual European countries are very similar. The solutions adopted are often similar.

Nor are these solutions "dictated by Europe" - they're adopted by the member states acting as (usually) the European Council.

cordially,
Scofflaw