This booklet contains 10 briefs on the political structure and individual parties of the European Economic Community, all of which have previously appeared in The Economist. The first four briefs deal with the' institutions and powers of the central bodies in Strasbourg and Luxembourg: the parliament, the budget process and the day-to-day problems of managing a multi-lingual European government. A page of maps and charts then explains and analyses the outcome of the elections to the assembly. Following this are six briefs on the major political groupings within the European parliament, contrasting their power there with the influence they have inside the individual member countries. The booklet is thus a practical and, it is hoped, useful guide to the development and present state of European political ideas -communism, socialism, liberalism, Christian democracy, conservatism and nationalism - within the broader context of the relatively new idea of a federated European community.

Table of Contents

1. The powers of Europe's parliament; 2. Europe's bothersome budget; 3. Reforming the CAP; 4. A babel of tongues; 5. The European elections of June 1979; 6. Communism's great divides; 7. The costs of social democracy; 8. Europe's not-so-Christian democrats; 9. What is a conservative?; 10. Liberals-in-the-middle; 11. Mini-nations in the making.