Finally! 'We're not able to work!' - MEPs concede their own irrelevance

Members of the European Parliament have finally come to terms with their growing irrelevance as EU governments claw back power from Brussels - many member states have shunned the European Union’s conventional decision-making to launch their own domestic battles against the coronavirus pandemic. .

Brussels has struggled to cement its influence throughout the crisis with the bloc’s capitals opting to largely ignore their political masters in the Belgian capital. The EU Parliament’s voice has been virtually silenced throughout the outbreak with most of its politicians ordered to work from home and their day-to-day jobs all but shutdown.

Being forced to hold debates and committee meetings via video link has sparked fears by MEPs for their waining influence.

German MEP Moritz Korner, a member of the liberal Renew Europe group, said the democratically-elected institution “will lose a little bit of its influence”.

“We are not able to work, to come together to send strong signals,” he added.

A Parliament official added: “Its definitely become more difficult to scrutinise the Council and Commission.

“The Commission could possibility propose something very urgent and then it would be difficult for Parliament to amend in a normal way.”