The European Union: a democratic institution?
The paper acknowledges the EU’s ‘democratic deficit’ and considers the causes of this. In the context of future EU Treaty reform, it considers possible remedies for the democratic deficit, including those proposed by the UK Government.
EU institutionsEU law and treatiesEuropeEuropean CommissionEuropean CouncilEuropean Parliament
Briefing
This paper asks questions about the democratic credentials of the European Union. The paper begins by looking at definitions of democracy and the historical development of democratic political systems. It then looks at the European Union’s decision-making institutions and at a range of views from academics and politicians on the extent to which they conform to generally accepted norms of democratic government.
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