So, what have we learned from this?
Firstly, if you give people an opportunity to do something that suits them, they will take it, even if it might not, in the long run, be terribly wise. Second, process is a good thing, and acts as a means against summary (in)justice. Thirdly, politicians need bureaucrats, firstly to design process, and secondly to manage it.
And what, I hear you ask, does that mean?
Well, it means that we need to be far more transparent about how we decide upon our delegates to ALDE, both to Council and to Congress, especially as we may see a significant reduction in our entitlement in future years. In the past, there hasn't been a lot of competition, especially for Congress - we have a lot of places, travel and accommodation are unsubsidised, and the delegation has presumably grown in size as our electoral performance has steadily improved. If that changes, you need process, and one that is apparent to all.
It is something that has troubled me for a while now, and the events of the past fortnight have reminded me that the longer it is left, the more pressing it will become, and the solutions potentially less satisfying.
Ah well, I needed a project anyway...
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