--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Here in Europe some of the challenges…" description: "\"Here in Europe some of the challenges have to do with structures that are so complicated. You've got Brussels, and you've got parliament, you've got co..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/barack-obama-17_brussels_here-in-europe-some-of-the-challenges-ha_920780.jpg" --- # Here in Europe some of the challenges have to do with… ![“Here in Europe some of the challenges have to do with structures that are so complicated. You've got Brussels, and you've got parliament, you've got councils and then you've got national governments. So people sometimes don't feel as if they know who's making decisions, and the more that we can…” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/barack-obama-17_brussels_here-in-europe-some-of-the-challenges-ha_920780.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/barack-obama-17_brussels_here-in-europe-some-of-the-challenges-ha_920780.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/271/barack-obama-17_brussels_here-in-europe-some-of-the-challenges-ha_920780.jpg) > “Here in Europe some of the challenges have to do with structures that are so complicated. You've got Brussels, and you've got parliament, you've got councils and then you've got national governments. So people sometimes don't feel as if they know who's making decisions, and the more that we can bring people in and engage them, the better. Some of it is also cultural and social, people's sense of identity.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Complex political structures can obscure decision‑making, so increasing public engagement clarifies who decides and strengthens democratic legitimacy. **In simple terms:** Complex systems hide decision makers; engagement clarifies. Key Takeaway Invite citizens to participate in governance. Themes democracy engagement identity complexity Mood reflective optimistic Type political inspirational When to use this quote - local elections - public consultations - community forums - policy workshops Key Concepts political science social identity participatory governance Questions to Reflect On - How can we simplify governance for citizens? - What tools foster effective public participation? A Different Perspective Complexity may still overwhelm participants without clear communication. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Brussels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brussels/) [Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges/) [Challenges Structures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/challenges-structures-1424301/) [Complicated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/complicated/) [Council](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/council/) [Decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decision/) [Europe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe/) [Europe Challenges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/europe-challenges-1424300/) [Feels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feels/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Governments People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/governments-people-635035/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Making decision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decision/) [Making decisions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/making-decisions/) [Parliament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parliament/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [People Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people-sense/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Sometimes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sometimes/) [Structure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/structure/) ## Related quotes > [It is one of the evils of democratical governments, that the people, not always seeing and frequently misled, must often feel before they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-one-of-the-evils-of-democratical-governments-that-the-people/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [It is among the evils, and perhaps not the smallest, of democratical governments, that the people must feel before they will see. When this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/it-is-among-the-evils-and-perhaps-not-the-smallest-of-democratical/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [I think peace should be done not only among governments but among people. It was impossible before the Facebook.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-think-peace-should-be-done-not-only-among-governments-but-among/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [How fortunate for governments that people do not think. There is no thinking except in giving and executing commands. If it were otherwise human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/how-fortunate-for-governments-that-people-do-not-think-there-is-no/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [What good fortune for governments that people do not think](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-hitler/what-good-fortune-for-governments-that-people-do-not-think/) [Adolf Hitler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-hitler/) > [Indonesia has already been governed for too long by sclerotic uncles who have sold their nation off to foreign companies and governments. 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BECAUSE SOMETHINGS IT MAYBE LITTLE AS WE…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/no-voice/its-funny-how-you-can-make-silent-happiness-to-other-people-out-of/) [NO VOICE](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/no-voice/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More Brussels quotes > [I like democracy. I like to be able to throw out my political leaders when they get things wrong, and we don't get to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cameron/i-like-democracy-i-like-to-be-able-to-throw-out-my-political-leaders/) [David Cameron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cameron/) > [ When \[Erwin Schrödinger\] went to the Solvay conferences in Brussels, he would walk from the station to the hotel where the delegates stayed, carrying… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/when-erwin-schr-dinger-went-to-the-solvay-conferences-in-brussels-he/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [I'm scared of audiences. One show in Amsterdam I was so nervous, I escaped out the fire exit. I've thrown up a couple of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adele/i-m-scared-of-audiences-one-show-in-amsterdam-i-was-so-nervous-i/) [Adele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adele/) > [This going into Europe will not turn out to be the thrilling mutual exchange supposed. It is more like nine middle-aged couples with failing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-p-thompson/this-going-into-europe-will-not-turn-out-to-be-the-thrilling-mutual/) [E. P. Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-p-thompson/) > [The EU will face problems similar to the US: an increasing gap between the citizens and decision makers in Brussels and a perceived or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-korten/the-eu-will-face-problems-similar-to-the-us-an-increasing-gap-between/) [David Korten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-korten/) > [As a wheelchair user, you cant move about freely. Thats the only thing that bothers me a little. When Im in the Euro Group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-schauble/as-a-wheelchair-user-you-cant-move-about-freely-thats-the-only-thing/) [Wolfgang Schauble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-schauble/) > [For many people, politics in Brussels and Strasbourg might as well be happening on another planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-schulz/for-many-people-politics-in-brussels-and-strasbourg-might-as-well-be/) [Martin Schulz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-schulz/) > [Why don't you meet Osama bin Laden, invite him to Brussels or to the White House and engage him in talks, ask him what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vladimir-putin/why-don-t-you-meet-osama-bin-laden-invite-him-to-brussels-or-to-the/) [Vladimir Putin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vladimir-putin/) > [Everybody used to say going to restaurants... is like theater, there's stage sets, there's drama, there's play acting and you watch the show. 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