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Description
It's great to have, say, a food safety authority. It is just one of those many democratic institutions, designed to protect the population against a greedy few. It is not so great if, due to endless budget cuts, this very food safety authority ends up being staffed by only 4.2 people. Then it loses its capacity to actually enforce its policies, and becomes what is called a paper tiger, fit for decorative purposes only. Democratic tinsel.

This is what is happening in Europe at every level. We still have a fully dressed democracy, except that its fancy dress is made from crepe paper rather than silk. It better not start raining.

P.S. It is probably not that bad. Yet.

Description
It's great to have, say, a food safety authority. It is just one of those many democratic institutions, designed to protect the population against a greedy few. It is not so great if, due to endless budget cuts, this very food safety authority ends up being staffed by only 4.2 people. Then it loses its capacity to actually enforce its policies, and becomes what is called a paper tiger, fit for decorative purposes only. Democratic tinsel.

This is what is happening in Europe at every level. We still have a fully dressed democracy, except that its fancy dress is made from crepe paper rather than silk. It better not start raining.

P.S. It is probably not that bad. Yet.