Exploring the EU's Legitimacy Crisis

Reviews / Votes

'This book is a timely analysis and reminder of what the EU has achieved and why it is worth persevering with a peace project that remains a model of integration and conflict resolution: must read for all students of politics.' -- Juliet Lodge, Journal of Common Market Studies 'This outstanding timely study critically assesses how the EU could move towards a perfect storm of multiple legitimacy crises. Through a combination of innovative theoretical thinking and original empirical research Christian Schweiger excels in analysing the gap between input (politics) and output legitimacy (policy). He convincingly argues that the method of technocratic legitimacy has reached its limits and the mechanisms enhancing input legitimacy are still inadequate. Schweiger argues that the nationally oriented strategies of member states, particularly the Franco-German partnership, which create multiple joint decision-making traps that are increasingly blocking further development of the EU are part of the problem. Schweiger provides an indispensable well-researched study that will guide scholars and practitioners to find a new way to re-invigorate one of the most extraordinary and original peace projects of our times.' -- Jose M. Magone, Berlin School of Economics and Law, Germany 'The current multifaceted and mutating EU crisis cannot be traced to the euro area alone, however important that is. In this impressive and path-breaking study by Christian Schweiger the roots of the present crisis are revealed through a combination of political science and economics scholarship. The central weakness is weak legitimacy. There is a problem with input legitimacy (direct citizen participation) but more importantly the EU's reliance on output legitimacy is undermined, as in the case of national government by a delivery deficit which weakens the trust of citizens. In a masterpiece of clear analysis Schweiger fleshes out these ideas in a comprehensive account of the development of the EU and concludes with suggestions for addressing the difficulties to which they have given rise. This is a "must-read" for all EU scholars and their students.' -- William E. Paterson OBE FAcSS, Aston University, UK 'After the UK's shock Brexit vote of 23 June 2016 the issue of the EU's legitimacy crisis is more obvious than ever. Having explained in detail the manifold problems of the European Union in seven very informative chapters, Christian Schweiger asks for "rebuilding public trust in the European project" in his final summary. Maybe the UK's decision - by a slim majority for such a far-reaching decision - to exit can be the decisive trigger to enable the EU to "rebuild the foundations of the European project" that the author asks for in his book which was finished prior to the referendum. Schweiger correctly argues that it "will take resolve in combination with honesty and visionary leadership to turn things around". He clarifies, however, that this is possible and definitely worthwhile. Among the wealth of literature on the legitimacy problem of the EU, this book deserves to be seen as a major contribution to the contemporary debate. Schweiger's monograph provides an excellent analysis and an engaging must-read for politics academics and students in the EU-28/27 and the Anglo-Saxon countries. It will undoubtedly stimulate further research and debate on the controversial issues of the EU's legitimacy.' -- - Lothar Funk, Duesseldorf University of Applied Sciences, Germany