Tag: European Union

We need to talk (more) about deliberative democracy in the EU

We need to talk (more) about deliberative democracy in the EU

Criticism of the EU’s ‘democratic deficit’ has become increasingly prominent since the financial crisis. Firat Cengiz writes that democracy in the EU would benefit from methods allowing citizens to participate more directly in policymaking. She argues for a form of deliberative democracy to be implemented at the European level and provides some practical suggestions for how this could be achieved.

The EU is extraordinarily complex. But do we want to simplify it?

The EU is extraordinarily complex. But do we want to simplify it?

The EU’s institutional architecture is often regarded as being too complex for citizens to properly engage with, and both Jean-Claude Juncker and Emmanuel Macron have recently proposed some form of simplification – such as merging the President of the European Commission with the President of the European Council, or shrinking the Commission. Dimiter Toshkov argues that while […]

How the EU shapes and hones its identity through the language of its treaties

How the EU shapes and hones its identity through the language of its treaties

How does the European Union shape and hone its identity? Odelia Oshri and Shaul Shenhav decipher the ways in which the EU’s discourse on values has changed throughout the 60 years of integration. They show that two values dominated the Union’s treaty texts – ‘democracy’ and ‘market economy’. However, since the 1990s, new values have penetrated […]

Big money buys influence in Brussels. Or does it?

Big money buys influence in Brussels. Or does it?

In Brussels, big corporations can buy influence – and the VW emissions scandal proved it. Or at least that’s the received opinion about lobbying. But Bas Redert looks at the relative success of big and small lobbyists and finds that public opinion, not the size of their budgets, is the salient factor when it comes […]

Delaying the countdown to Brexit: A cost-benefit analysis

Delaying the countdown to Brexit: A cost-benefit analysis

Following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, a great deal of attention has focused on when the country will choose to begin its exit negotiations. Richard Rose writes that there are both pros and cons for the British government in pushing back the negotiations. A delay would allow the government to arrive at a […]

A ‘one-language’ EU policy would foster elitism and hit disproportionately the least advantaged

A ‘one-language’ EU policy would foster elitism and hit disproportionately the least advantaged

In an increasingly anglo-centric world, is multilingualism still needed in the European Union? The answer is a resounding yes, according to a study by Michele Gazzola. Analysing Eurostat data, he finds that making English the only official language of the EU would exclude approximately four out of five EU citizens from having a deep understanding […]

It would be a democratic travesty for Brexit not to be accepted simply because many of us don’t like it

It would be a democratic travesty for Brexit not to be accepted simply because many of us don’t like it

The result of the referendum on the UK’s continued membership of the European Union has upset a great number of people, and some have suggested that the result should not be accepted. Here, Stephen Tierney asks ‘how democratic was the Brexit vote?’ and concludes that to not accept the result would constitute a democratic outrage. […]

The EU’s response to Brexit is just as important as the UK’s

The EU’s response to Brexit is just as important as the UK’s

The UK’s decision to leave the European Union in the recent referendum on EU membership has sent shockwaves through the political, economic, and financial worlds. Here, Vivien A. Schmidt discusses what kind of a deal might emerge, and argues that how the EU responds to Brexit is of just as much importance as the UK’s […]

Let down and left out: Young voters and the EU referendum

Let down and left out: Young voters and the EU referendum

The EU referendum campaigns and mainstream media displayed a staggering indifference to younger voters, writes James Sloam. He highlights how the switch to individual voter registration, the timing of the vote, the exclusion of 16- and 17-year olds and  the media circus of exaggerated claim and counter-claim all left young people unenthused by the campaign and strongly opposed to […]

Is the EU really run by unelected bureaucrats?

Is the EU really run by unelected bureaucrats?

Much of the UK’s referendum debate has focused on the extent to which EU decision-making is democratic, with the European Commission a source of particular criticism from leave campaigners on the basis that it is unelected. Simon Hix writes that while there are legitimate problems with the EU’s system of democracy, there is little to […]