Democratic DeficitDemocratic Deficit

Lecture: April 6, 2006Lecture: April 6, 2006

Democracy Democracy

ΔημοκρατίαΔημοκρατία

δημος = deimos = the peopleδημος = deimos = the people

κρατία = kratia = the ruleκρατία = kratia = the rule

The three basic aspects The three basic aspects of the EU democratic of the EU democratic deficit deficit

The relation between …The relation between …

1. … the European People and the EU 1. … the European People and the EU InstitutionsInstitutions

2. … the Member States and the EU Institutions2. … the Member States and the EU Institutions

3. … the European Parliament and the other EU 3. … the European Parliament and the other EU InstitutionsInstitutions

The “Standard Version” The “Standard Version” of the critique of democracy in Europe of the critique of democracy in Europe

(Weiler et. al.)(Weiler et. al.)

1.1. Increase Increase in executive power and in executive power and decreasedecrease in national parliamentary in national parliamentary controlcontrol

2.2. The European Parliament is too The European Parliament is too weakweak

3. The European Parliament is too 3. The European Parliament is too remoteremote

4. No real “European” elections4. No real “European” elections

6. Anti-majoritarian policy drift6. Anti-majoritarian policy drift

7. Overall lack of transparancy7. Overall lack of transparancy

5. Weakening of diffuse and 5. Weakening of diffuse and fragmented national interest groupsfragmented national interest groups

Democracy without a Democracy without a demosdemos??

Weiler et al: Weiler et al: demosdemos is the basis for a is the basis for a democratic politydemocratic polity

EU lacks authority and legitimacy of a EU lacks authority and legitimacy of a democratic statedemocratic state

Emergence of a European Emergence of a European demosdemos

Cooperation through international Cooperation through international treatiestreaties

SolutionSolution

Inverted regionalismInverted regionalism1.1. Transfer of government functions Transfer of government functions from the members states to the EUfrom the members states to the EU

2.2. MicromanagementMicromanagement

3.3. No effective limit to the extension of No effective limit to the extension of competencescompetences

= overall weakening of national = overall weakening of national parliaments as “public forums”parliaments as “public forums”

The DefenceThe DefenceMoravcsik & MajoneMoravcsik & Majone

little evidencelittle evidence that the EU suffers from that the EU suffers from a fundamental democratic deficita fundamental democratic deficit

Critique results from privileging the Critique results from privileging the abstractabstract over the over the concreteconcrete (issue of (issue of standards)standards)

EU decision making procedures are EU decision making procedures are very much in line with general practice very much in line with general practice of most modern democraciesof most modern democracies

1. EU decision-making processes are 1. EU decision-making processes are dominated by national governmentsdominated by national governments

They are the most directly accountable politicians They are the most directly accountable politicians in Europein Europe

2. Significant increase of the powers of 2. Significant increase of the powers of the European Parliamentthe European Parliament

veto-power over selection of commissionveto-power over selection of commission

Legislation under the co-decision procedure must be Legislation under the co-decision procedure must be approved by the European parliamentapproved by the European parliament

3. EU policy-making process is more 3. EU policy-making process is more transparent than most domestic systemstransparent than most domestic systems

easy access to policy related documents (i.e. white easy access to policy related documents (i.e. white and green papers)and green papers)

Extensive participation and consultation of the Extensive participation and consultation of the public prior to legislative actionspublic prior to legislative actions

Extensive judicial review by ECJ and National CourtsExtensive judicial review by ECJ and National Courts

4. Re: “European” elections4. Re: “European” elections

EU policy topics not salient enough for voters to EU policy topics not salient enough for voters to take interesttake interest

EU policy making is and should be largely EU policy making is and should be largely insolated from majoritarian contestsinsolated from majoritarian contests

“… “… the EU may be more ‘representative’ precisely the EU may be more ‘representative’ precisely because it is, in a narrow sense, less ’democratic’”because it is, in a narrow sense, less ’democratic’”

MoravcsikMoravcsik

5. The treaties ensure consensus based 5. The treaties ensure consensus based decision-makingdecision-making

6. The Union promotes the access of 6. The Union promotes the access of diffuse interests to the legislative processdiffuse interests to the legislative process

7. The EU is regulatory in nature rather 7. The EU is regulatory in nature rather than redistributivethan redistributive

Discussed Problems are rather problems Discussed Problems are rather problems of credibility than of democratic deficit of credibility than of democratic deficit (Majone)(Majone)