Editing Independence/Democracy (section)

===In the news===
Activities performed by IND/DEM in the period between 1 June 2004 and 1 June 2008 that resulted in an entry on Google News include: 
* seeking to allow Parliament to be filmed;
* criticising [[President of the European Commission|EC President]] [[José Manuel Barroso|Barroso]] for taking a cruise on a yacht owned by [[Spiro Latsis]] prior to the Commission giving a Latsis shipyard a grant of €10&nbsp;million;<ref name="IHT20041012">{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/|title=Breaking News, World News & Multimedia}}</ref><ref name="DV199382">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.volkskrant.nl%2Fbuitenland%2Farticle199382.ece&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=MEPs see no bread in motion against Barroso, dV, 9 June 2005 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* trying to get a European Parliament auditor's report on alleged abuses of staff allowances published;<ref name="AFX4698634">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/02/26/afx4698634.html |title=Report on EU parliament funding abuse to remain secret, dV, February 26, 2008 |work=Forbes.com |date=26 February 2008 |access-date=17 June 2010}}{{dead link|date=January 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="AD20080311">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ad.nl%2Fbuitenland%2F2128020%2FVan_Buitenen_voert_druk_op_EP_op.html&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=van Buitenen puts pressure on EP, AD, March 11, 2008 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* opposing the appointment of [[Rocco Buttiglione]] as Justice Commissioner;<ref name="CNN20041027">[http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/10/27/eu.barroso/ Barroso defends delay in EU vote, CNN, 27 October 2004] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061030204846/http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/10/27/eu.barroso/ |date=30 October 2006 }}</ref>
* arguing against the Constitution Treaty,<ref name="Times515432">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article515432.ece EU's poll data 'propaganda': Millions are to be spent on promoting the constitution among member states, Times, 17 February 2005]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref name="Times445493">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article445493.ece Leaders plan for a robust constitution as remedy to voter apathy, Times, 15 June 2004]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref name="Times504641">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article504641.ece They don't like the EU constitution? Quick, send in the force, Times, 21 January 2005]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref><ref name="PD195396">{{cite web|url=http://english.people.com.cn/200507/11/eng20050711_195396.html |title=EU charter's fate still uncertain after Luxembourg's Yes vote, PD, July 11, 2005 |publisher=English.people.com.cn |date=11 July 2005 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* arguing against the Lisbon Treaty,<ref name="PM20080116">[http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/meps-kosovo-and-lisbon-treaty-should-top-eu-agenda/ MEPs: Kosovo and Lisbon treaty should top EU agenda, PM, 16 January 2008] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609183518/http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/meps-kosovo-and-lisbon-treaty-should-top-eu-agenda/ |date=9 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="EA164921">{{cite web|url=http://www.euractiv.com/en/future-eu/eu-treaty-deal-meets-praise-criticism/article-164921 |title=EU Treaty deal meets praise and criticism, EA, 27 June 2007 |publisher=Euractiv.com |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="OJ20051220">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.oe-journal.at%2FAktuelles%2F%212005%2F1205%2FW3%2F52012schuelerPk.htm&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=Students discuss with top-level representatives of the EU Parliament, OJ, 20 December 2005 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="CI8861">{{cite web|url=http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=8861 |title=Brussels Will Lose Moral Authority on Democracy, CI, December 21, 2007 |publisher=Cato.org |date=21 December 2007 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* arguing against a deeper Europe;<ref name="Times443424">[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article443424.ece Many tongues, now some teeth, Times, 10 June 2004]{{dead link|date=September 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} </ref>
* expelling Lega Nord and the League of Polish Families;<ref name="IN06N05525">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wienerzeitung.at%2FDesktopDefault.aspx%3FTabID%3D3857%26Alias%3Dwzo%26cob%3D223993&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=Lega Nord expelled from the Eurosceptic group Independence and Democracy. Borghezio announces appeals, IN, 16 March 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="WZ223993">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.wienerzeitung.at%2FDesktopDefault.aspx%3FTabID%3D3857%26Alias%3Dwzo%26cob%3D223993&sl=de&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=Northern League as a free radical, WZ, 18 March 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="VN3D47809">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww3.varesenews.it%2Fitalia%2Farticolo.php%3Fid%3D47809&sl=it&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=Lega Nord permanently expelled from the Eurosceptic group, VN, 18 March 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* arguing against the two-person Presidency,<ref name="PM20070115">[http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/bonde-calls-for-election-not-coronation-in-eu-parliament-vote/ Bonde calls for ‘election not coronation’ in EU parliament vote, PM, 15 January 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609184632/http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/bonde-calls-for-election-not-coronation-in-eu-parliament-vote/ |date=9 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="PM20070112">[http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/wurtz-urges-sea-change-in-eu-parliament-elections/ Wurtz urges sea change in EU parliament elections, PM, 12 January 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609183619/http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/wurtz-urges-sea-change-in-eu-parliament-elections/ |date=9 June 2009 }}</ref>
* arguing against the two-seat Parliament,<ref name="PM20060615">[http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/strasbourgnbsp-spinelessness-angers-eu-deputies/ Strasbourg  'spinelessness' angers EU deputies, PM, 15 June 2006] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609182730/http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/strasbourgnbsp-spinelessness-angers-eu-deputies/ |date=9 June 2009 }}</ref><ref name="TR350163">{{cite web|url=https://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.trouw.nl%2Flaatstenieuws%2Flaatstenieuws%2Farticle350163.ece%2FVoorzitter_EP_praat_niet_meer_over_Straatsburg&sl=nl&tl=en&hl=en&ie=UTF-8 |title=EP President no longer talking about Strasbourg, TR, 15 June 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* arguing against attempts to fund plans to improve EP turnout;<ref name="PM20071127">[http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/meps-outlinenbspplans-to-boost-eunbspparliament-election-turnout/ MEPs outline plans to boost EU parliament election turnout, PM, 27 November 2007] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609182658/http://www.eupolitix.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/meps-outlinenbspplans-to-boost-eunbspparliament-election-turnout/ |date=9 June 2009 }}</ref>
* arguing for greater control of the commission by Parliament,<ref name="EA156620">[http://www.euractiv.com/en/opinion/parliament-strengthens-control-commission/article-156620 Parliament strengthens its control over the Commission, EA, 11 September 2006] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829225620/http://www.euractiv.com/en/opinion/parliament-strengthens-control-commission/article-156620 |date=29 August 2008 }}</ref>
* arguing for decentralisation,<ref name="EGOV8610">{{cite web|url=http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/8610 |title=MEPs debate Commission 2007 work programme, EGOV, 16 November 2006 |publisher=Egovmonitor.com |date=16 November 2006 |access-date=17 June 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609204933/http://www.egovmonitor.com/node/8610 |archive-date=9 June 2009 }}</ref>
* arguing for mandatory lobbying disclosure,<ref name="ZDNET2050619">{{cite web|last=Marson |first=Ingrid |url=http://news.zdnet.co.uk/itmanagement/0,1000000308,39209714,00.htm |title=More MEPs demand transparency after patent debacle, ZDNET, 19 July 2005 |publisher=News.zdnet.co.uk |date=19 July 2005 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>
* supporting whistleblower [[Hans-Peter Martin]].<ref name="TT20040613">{{cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/world/archives/2004/06/13/2003174880 |title=EU perks-buster wins little popularity, TT, June 13, 2004 |publisher=Taipeitimes.com |date=13 June 2004 |access-date=17 June 2010}}</ref>