A member of the European Parliament takes the floor, delivering an impassioned speech. Then the camera zooms out, revealing an awkward reality: a nearly empty chamber, with only a few dozen lawmakers scattered across the benches. Many are glued to their phones, while hundreds of seats remain vacant.

For years, this has been a familiar sight in the European Parliament. During Strasbourg’s long plenary weeks, many MEPs arrive just before their speaking slot, deliver a tightly rehearsed one-minute speech and leave almost immediately afterwards.

“It is the most expensive backdrop for social media clips in the world,” an MEP told Euronews, on…

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