Representatives don't care as much as you'd like them to, unfortunately.

I tried that with my MEPs on the Copyright Directive. Nearly all of them replied with parrotted talking points from the EU Commission, as opposed to any kind of understanding of the issues I raised.

At the end of the day, EU Parliament representation is dilute and indirect. Unlike the democratic systems of most nations, elected EU parliamentarians cannot originate any new law. Only appointed (unelected) individuals within the EU Commission/Council can do so, behind closed doors if it suits them.

MEPs are on a lucrative gravy train and they generally don't want to rock boat. If the Commission doesn't get a "yes" from Parliament, it simply makes superficial amendments and passes it back through Parliament until they get a "yes".

With the Copyright Directive, after a "no" vote in Parliament in 2018, the Commission literally put the same contentious articles (11 and 13) back in again for the second vote - this time under different article numbers (15 and 17), so all the public activism and criticism linked to the original article numbers would be orphaned. MEPs voted "yes" the second time, like good, obedient MEPs they are.

Anecdata but I also had good experiences reaching out to MEPs, so not all is lost.

At its core, the core issue seems to be the lack of accountability between the MEP, and people that voted them in. Few people vote in the EU elections, and even fewer follow up on what happens there.

Chicken and egg problem but if you want your MEP not to be just "a good obedient MEP they are", the electorate needs to ask more of them.

So we expect our public to care, and to engage with a Parliament in a foreign country, where elected representatives wield barely any power and cannot originate law?

Prior to Brexit, the UK had less than 10% of a stake in the European Parliament, so our 73 representatives had little effect on the overall system.

I didn't know a single person who could name their MEP.

Direct democracy at the national level is simply more engaging and relatable. It matters that the electorate, and their representatives are accountable for the outcomes of their decisions.

Direct democracy in reality is people doing a mexican wave at a sports game.... anything more complex is doomed to failure!

Those articles 13 and 15 may also protect you from AI thieving all your work!

There's always a joker somewhere :-)

Try calling up, E-mailing or anything else with Dutch politians. No one will talk to you, answer your E-mails, allow you to call them. They make themselves unreachable.

I’m sure they will have a good laugh. At your email I mean. They won’t pick up the phone.

Tried that with MEPs for my country of Denmark: no reply.