The EU as a promoter of democracy - by David Casa

The European Union’s 27 member states each have their own form of democracy, shaped by their own history and culture.

Within the relatively integrated context of the European Union, there exists a great diversity of examples of democracy: Constitutional monarchies, executive and non-executive heads of state, unicameral and bicameral legislatures, republics, federal and non-federal states, centralized and decentralized governments, and so on. Yet despite these differences, the democratic culture and tradition of Europe remains a powerful uniting factor and is perhaps the most important factor – possibly far more important than cultural, religious or geographic proximity – underpinning European unity.

The European Parliament has also played a significant role in helping Egypt in its current transition towards democracy. The EU has pledged to contribute almost half a billion euros in financial assistance to Egypt over the next three years. This aid will be used to consolidate the process of democratisation and the rule of law in Egypt, to rehabilitate the country’s economy and to boost funding for education.

For more: INDEPENDENT online