Click here to access article by Don Quijones from Raging Bull-Shit.
This article from a British author describes somewhat different political arrangements in Europe compared to what we find in the US to diminish the influence of ordinary people over important political matters.
In the US we find direct subversion of the superficial "democratic" institutions through the tight control of the election machinery and funding of candidates. In Europe they have established supra-national bodies rationalized by the need for European unity and consolidation in a continent historically wracked by inter-nation conflicts in a patchwork of nations. However, these bodies are unelected and are heavily influenced by close ties with powerful actors in the ruling capitalist class.
One key element is shared by both divisions of the NATO Empire: both have banking cartels in control of the issuance of money. In the US it is the Federal Reserve and in Europe it is the European Central Bank. In the US control of important decisions regarding the spending of US government revenues has been largely under the control of the Treasury Department which is almost always staffed by key actors from major banking institutions. In Europe this function appears to be managed by the European Stability Mechanism, and again we find key actors from major banking institutions. All political bodies are subject to influence from well-financed corporate lobbies.
The end result in both divisions of the Empire are the same: both arrangements preserve the appearance of democratic control of decisions while maintaining real control in the hands of the capitalist class. In both sections of the Empire important decisions are made in secrecy behind closed doors and serve the interests of their class.
For more details on European political-economic arrangements, I highly recommend viewing the following 1:25:21m film. (As of this writing I've been able to watch the first 20 minutes.) The film reports on the determined efforts of the narrator, an environmental activist, and his associates to uncover the realities of who really makes the important decisions in Europe.