[benj111]

- farming and fishing policies were central parts of the EU (EEC) when we joined, and voted to stay.

-'The EU' might be talking about them, they probably talk about a lot of things that aren't going to happen. And some are probably more reasonable than you are making out.

- I don't agree it's undemocratic, but yes there is poor engagement. I think that's a reason why we voted to leave, rather than a reason to leave in and of itself.

- That's less than 1% of govt spending. That is cheap. Brexit will cut growth, this money may plug the gap, we aren't going to be economically better off after leaving though.

- The EU reflects its citizens, you only have to look at Britain itself to see the same thing happening.

[orbifold]

It is undemocratic by design (the role of the parliament is roughly that of the role of the parliament in Bismarck's Germany, they can't introduce laws and can only veto or amend laws they don't like. They don't appoint the commission etc.) and tries to replace the national laws and constitutions democratic nations have given to them. Luckily they didn't manage to institute a EU constitution, but some of their other reforms like Bologna have done enough damage as is. Their science funding is extremely ineffective and wasteful compared to the funding schemes of the national organizations like the Max Planck and Helmholtz society, but unfortunately practically mandatory now.

I get that it is a "right wing, populist" thing to oppose the EU, but there are plenty of reasons not to like it.

[benj111]

The commission is selected by the European council that is made up of people selected by national governments.

It's like saying that the UK isn't democratic because the house of lords isn't elected, and neither is our head of state (which is even worse, because democratically elected representatives get absolutely no say in that).

[orbifold]

In most democracies in Europe the head of government is chosen by parliament, not by some third party. The current setup is precisely how things were in the Kaiserreich. I did not get to elect most people in the European council, right now the guy representing Germany is someone that does not even speak proper English and was send off to Brussels because he failed as [Minister President](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_Oettinger).