Deliberative Democracy in the EU
Countering Populism with Participation and Debate
Published on 25. November 2020
Book
Paperback/Softback
216 pages
978-1-5381-4580-7 (ISBN)
Description
Representative democracy remains the best available form of government - and the one preferred by most EU citizens, but satisfaction with how it plays out varies greatly across the continent. Among the perceived weaknesses are high levels of political corruption, low resilience to disinformation, and out-of-touch governing elites.
Yet there is some hope that direct channels for citizens to express their concerns and preferences, fact-based deliberation in representative bodies and robust mechanisms to hold governments to account can help save European democracy from the onslaught of populism.
This volume draws together proposals into a framework reflecting the four cumulative criteria used by modern political theorists to assess the health of a democracy: inclusion, choice, deliberation and impact. Its expert contributors offer pragmatic ideas to strengthen representative democracy at both the national and EU level.
Yet there is some hope that direct channels for citizens to express their concerns and preferences, fact-based deliberation in representative bodies and robust mechanisms to hold governments to account can help save European democracy from the onslaught of populism.
This volume draws together proposals into a framework reflecting the four cumulative criteria used by modern political theorists to assess the health of a democracy: inclusion, choice, deliberation and impact. Its expert contributors offer pragmatic ideas to strengthen representative democracy at both the national and EU level.
Reviews / Votes
This is an exceptionally important and illuminating book, packed with ideas both about what is limited or wrong with contemporary democratic practice in the EU, and on what can be done to revitalize debate, ownership, and legitimacy. -- Harold James This volume probes deep into our 'democratic eco-system' and the many ways it can be reinvigorated. The contributions assembled in this rich compendium should leave the reader in no doubt that deliberating our way to 'participatory fusion' is not a political pipedream but the secret to the EU's very survival. -- Kalypso Nicolaidis, professor of international relations, University of OxfordMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Target group
Professional and scholarly
Illustrations
40 b/w illustrations; 10 tables; 3 textboxes
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
Thickness: 23 mm
Weight
641 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5381-4580-7 (9781538145807)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Steven Blockmans is Senior Research Fellow and Head of the Institutions unit at CEPS and Professor of EU External Relations Law and Governance at the University of Amsterdam
Sophia Russack is Researcher in the Institutions Unit at CEPS and PhD candidate at Maastricht University.
Sophia Russack is Researcher in the Institutions Unit at CEPS and PhD candidate at Maastricht University.
Content
1.Democracy as ecosystem Steven Blockmans
2. Efficiency, authority and representation Daniel Smilov
3. Democracy and its discontents: European attitudes to representative democracy and its alternatives Jacek Kucharczyk and Filip Pazderski
4. The emotional landscape of European voters Catharina Sorensen and William Rohde Madsen
Part I. Representative Democracy
5. Improving representativeness in Europe: A story of missed and future opportunities Didac Gutierrez-Peris and Hector Sanchez Margalef
6. Transparency in EU decision-making: Under growing pressure, more important than ever Tuomas Iso-Markku
7. Alignment of national parties and European party federations Jan Kovar, Zdenek Sychra and Petr Kratochvil
8. How to Appoint a Commission President: The revised lead candidate procedure Sophia Russack
9. How can European Affairs Committees be strengthened? Iveta Kazoka and Sintija Tarasova
10. Revising the Early Warning System to reinforce the 'third chamber' of EU multi-level law-making Filippa Chatzistavrou and Konstantinos Papanikolaou
11. COSAC's (untapped) potential Paula Lamoso Gonzalez
12. EU democracy in an era of a changing media environment and disinformation Stefan Schaller, Paul Schmidt and Susan Milford-Faber
13. Democratic backsliding: The role of political corruption Aneta Vilagi and Pavol Babos
14. The rule of law: Bastion of democracy, or barrier to it? Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska and Ian Bond
Part II. Direct Democracy
15. National referendums: Between legitimate popular decision-making and populist takeover Atanas Slavov
16. An EU-wide referendum: Potential threat or tool of empowerment? Eleonora Poli
17. The European Citizens' Initiative and its reform: Truly unique or the same old story? Minna Alander and Nicolai von Ondarza
18. Modern petitions for modern European democracies Elizabete Vizgunova
19. Europe's deliberative instruments: Has the EU delivered? Wojciech Bialozyt and Romain Le Quiniou
20. How can technology facilitate citizen participation in the EU? Mihai Sebe, Bogdan Mure?an and Eliza Va?
Part III. Conclusions
21. Patterns and particularities in European democracy Richard Youngs
22. Participatory fusion: How to galvanise representative democracy with deliberative tools Steven Blockmans
About the Contributors
2. Efficiency, authority and representation Daniel Smilov
3. Democracy and its discontents: European attitudes to representative democracy and its alternatives Jacek Kucharczyk and Filip Pazderski
4. The emotional landscape of European voters Catharina Sorensen and William Rohde Madsen
Part I. Representative Democracy
5. Improving representativeness in Europe: A story of missed and future opportunities Didac Gutierrez-Peris and Hector Sanchez Margalef
6. Transparency in EU decision-making: Under growing pressure, more important than ever Tuomas Iso-Markku
7. Alignment of national parties and European party federations Jan Kovar, Zdenek Sychra and Petr Kratochvil
8. How to Appoint a Commission President: The revised lead candidate procedure Sophia Russack
9. How can European Affairs Committees be strengthened? Iveta Kazoka and Sintija Tarasova
10. Revising the Early Warning System to reinforce the 'third chamber' of EU multi-level law-making Filippa Chatzistavrou and Konstantinos Papanikolaou
11. COSAC's (untapped) potential Paula Lamoso Gonzalez
12. EU democracy in an era of a changing media environment and disinformation Stefan Schaller, Paul Schmidt and Susan Milford-Faber
13. Democratic backsliding: The role of political corruption Aneta Vilagi and Pavol Babos
14. The rule of law: Bastion of democracy, or barrier to it? Agata Gostynska-Jakubowska and Ian Bond
Part II. Direct Democracy
15. National referendums: Between legitimate popular decision-making and populist takeover Atanas Slavov
16. An EU-wide referendum: Potential threat or tool of empowerment? Eleonora Poli
17. The European Citizens' Initiative and its reform: Truly unique or the same old story? Minna Alander and Nicolai von Ondarza
18. Modern petitions for modern European democracies Elizabete Vizgunova
19. Europe's deliberative instruments: Has the EU delivered? Wojciech Bialozyt and Romain Le Quiniou
20. How can technology facilitate citizen participation in the EU? Mihai Sebe, Bogdan Mure?an and Eliza Va?
Part III. Conclusions
21. Patterns and particularities in European democracy Richard Youngs
22. Participatory fusion: How to galvanise representative democracy with deliberative tools Steven Blockmans
About the Contributors