The European Commission has few powers of its own with which to confront the recession as it spreads throughout the European Union; most powers belong to the European Central Bank. But the Commission does have a voice with which to rally people, and it is for their silence that Barroso and his fellow commissioners are being rebuked.
没有人怀疑巴罗索处在一个尴尬的境地。欧盟委员会自己没有什么权力在衰退席卷欧盟的时候进行应对，大多数权力属于欧洲中央银行。但是委员会确实可以发出声音来团结民众，而正式由于它默不作声才使得巴罗索及其委员们受到批评。