'National interests' undermining Europe - power must be moved from Commission to EU Parliament

What can the EU do to save itself? It's a question that obsessed well-known Austrian author Robert Menasse - to the point that he actually moved to Brussels to find out. 

In truth, renowned Austrian author Robert Menasse wanted to write a book about the European Union. He traveled to Brussels and researched EU institutions for six months to do so. But his sometimes surprising experiences with EU officials and general thoughts about the future of the EU can be found in his soon-to-be-written essay, "The European Chronicle - citizen anger and Europe's peace." (Menasse is currently writing the originally planned novel.)

Deutsche Welle: Mr. Menasse, you spent six months in Brussels doing research. What were your experiences with the EU?

*"The so-called Brussels' bureaucracy isn't barricaded off from the outside world. It's also not true that the people sitting in there have no experience of the real world - just concocting things without having any sense of what life on the outside is like. I was surprised at how open it was and how transparently the bureaucracy in Brussels conducts its business."

In your book, "The European Chronicle," you don't hold back with criticism. In particular it's the European Commission that you have in the crosshairs. What is it, exactly, that bothers you about this circle of leaders?

*"The responsible political elites are voted for nationally and can only prepare for re-election nationally. That means that they have to try unceasingly to pursue national interests.
That's why it's become more and more clear to me that the development of the EU and the development of Europe can only reasonably move forward through a weakening of the European Commission."

How do you see that in the context of Great Britain's special role? Do you think it would be better if Great Britain, as a result of its egoism, were to exit the EU?

*"Great Britain is a member of the EU and a part of Europe. But in the EU, English policies create a relentless string of crises. They don't have the euro currency, they're not part of the Schengen agreement with its border-less interior, and they don't participate in collective bank supervision. It can't be that, due to UK national interests the progress of the entire continent is constrained - and that a single country can continue to hold 26 others hostage."

Read more: 'National interests' undermining Europe | Europe | DW.DE | 05.02.2013