Wallström's fine words offer no solution to institutional problem

Margot Wallström, the European Commission vice-president, says that EU governments should listen more to the people when they search for a solution to the current institutional problem (‘What to do after the birthday party', 4-11 April). That sounds fine – stop being an elite-driven project and so on. But how to do it? The current crisis, sparked by the rejection of the constitution, comes after the first open exercise of treaty-writing in EU history – the constitution was drafted by an open convention. And it comes precisely after some other very open exercises: referenda – two of which were lost.
What can you do when whenever you try to include the people in the process they say ‘No'? Do you just stop the project? Yes, of course politicians – and journalists – should do their job better and explain to the people what the EU is about and what a new treaty and law do to them. But referenda have the inherent problem of being a protest vote against governments or unpopular leaders – and that is never going to change.
Wallström's words are fine. But does she have a solution to the problem? I do not see it.

Markus Lieberman
Brussels