On the 17th of June 2025, 10 different classes took part in a simulation game of the EU government and the passing of legislation, organized by CIVIC GmbH, both in English and German.
At the beginning of the simulation game, we were divided into large groups made up of two classes. In a presentation, representatives of CIVIC GmbH introduced us to the topic of the simulation game – in this case, asylum – informing us about global statistics, checking our biases, and explaining the situation to us in detail. After the introduction to the topic, the various organs of the EU government were explained to us, and our group was split into four additional segments: the EU Commission, the EU Parliament, the EU Council, and an additional group representing the press. Each person was given the role of a party in the parliament or a representative of a member state in the council.
The EU Commission, a group of two people, created a draft for legislation on asylum, made up of multiple articles. This draft was presented to both the EU Council and the EU Parliament. Following this presentation, the EU Parliament debated the articles of the proposed legislation, often with much humor in their role-playing. This led to heated arguments from various positions across the political spectrum, including threats of violence, lies, fear-mongering, but also serious discussions on the economic and social aspects of the proposed articles. Each article was adjusted until a majority of the parliament agreed on them through a vote.
This adjusted draft of the legislation was then passed to the EU Council, which itself debated the articles and made further adjustments before passing it back to the Parliament for review. After another vote, the adjusted articles were officially passed.
Although the simulation game was taken with much humor, it also proved exhausting, as debates dragged on – sometimes for hours – over single articles, with no side willing to budge. It was a very informative simulation that showed how the EU’s institutions function and why passing even seemingly simple legislation can take days or even weeks.
Every participant left this event with a new appreciation of the challenges of governance, a better understanding of the systems they live under, and a greater appreciation of their classmates after hours of discussion.