A Demos for the European Union

Bibliographic Data

ID7973531
AuthorsMette Jolly, Mette Elise Jolly (corresponding author)
Year2005
Volume25
Issue1
Pages12-18
Publication date2005-02-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenuePolitics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0032-3268 • E-ISSN: 1467-9256
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1111/j.1467-9256.2005.00224.x
OpenAlexW2145060709
LanguageEN
Citations received6
References cited9

The European Union's alleged shortage of democratic legitimacy is said to be caused partly by the polity's lack of a demos which makes it unsuitable for majoritarian decision-making. However, this problem is often overshadowed by – sometimes even confused with – the lack of public enthusiasm as regards European integration. But, although clearly related, these are not synonymous. The no-demos thesis focuses on the lack of a transnational political relationship between individuals and is related mainly to the legitimacy of the EU's decision-making processes, whereas the issue of popular support primarily relates to the legitimacy of European integration itself. In this article, I address the former by attempting to answer the following questions. Firstly, what do we mean when we say that the EU has no demos? Secondly, does the EU really need a demos, and if so, how can one be created

Democracy · Democratic legitimacy · Economic shortage · Economics · Enthusiasm · European integration · European union · Government (linguistics · International trade · Law and economics · Legitimacy · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Polity · Public relations · Sociology · European Union Policy and Governance · Law · Psychology · Social Psychology

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