The shortcomings of European representative democracy

The fundamental deficit of political representation in the European Union: national dependence

Abstract

Once crises have been overcome, they should provide an opportunity to reflect and to put in place mechanisms for improvement. Political life at the European level is still incapable of detaching itself from national structures and visions. In this scenario, it is difficult for the European Parliament to realize the principle of representativeness entrusted to it by the treaties. Throughout this article, we will show that our European institutions, especially with regard to the activity of the Parliament, have a deficient democratic legitimacy, mainly due to the primordial role conferred to the States and the electoral dynamics of the political parties themselves. Trying to move towards a genuine transnational public space is not only a mandate, but also a duty towards European citizens.