People and Parliament in the European Union : Participation, Democracy, and Legitimacy

The power of the European Parliament has been steadily and visibly increasing in recent years. At the same time, however, the already low rate of turnout in European elections has declined. Based on extensive new data, this important study probes the foundations of participation, democracy, and legitimacy in the European Union, and examines the ways in which participation and democratic representation might be enhanced. The power of the European Parliament has been steadily and visibly increasing in recent years. This arises from EU treaty changes and from the fact that more and more decisions are being made at the European level. At the same time, however, the already low rate of turnout in European elections has actually been declining. This powerful new study examines a seemingly paradoxical situation which has raised deep concern about the democratic deficit in the European Union. The authors analyse the concepts of participation, democracy, and legitimacy and their applicability at the European level and develop a typology of voter participation and abstention in the European context. Combining extensive new data from specially commissioned surveys in all 1994 member states with a searching review of the existing evidence, they provide a comprehensive account of the legitimacy of the European Union and examine the images of the European Parliament, citizens experiences of the 1994 campaign and their perceptions of the parties and the candidates. In an analysis that challenges existing interpretations, the institutional, demographic, and attitudinal sources of participation and abstention are fully explored. The study concludes by considering how participation and democratic representation might be enhanced, acknowledging forthrightly the obstacles and inherent limits that such efforts are likely to face. Contents......Page 10 List of Figures......Page 12 List of Tables......Page 14 1. Electoral Participation, Democracy, and Legitimacy in the European Union......Page 18 2. The Extent and Nature of the Problem of Abstention in European Parliament Elections......Page 47 3. Legitimacy and Participation......Page 72 4. Interest, Knowledge, and Participation......Page 102 5. The European Parliament: Power, Responsiveness, Image, and Participation......Page 124 6. Parties, Candidates, and Campaigns......Page 154 7. Turnout in Context: A Comparison of Member States......Page 181 8. Sources of Participation and Abstention......Page 216 9. Conclusion: Participation, Democracy, and Legitimacy in the European Union......Page 254 Appendix: Questions in Eurobarometer 41.1 used in the analysis......Page 275 References......Page 288 C......Page 296 D......Page 297 E......Page 298 I......Page 299 L......Page 300 N......Page 301 P......Page 302 S......Page 303 W......Page 304 The power of the European Parliament has been steadily and visibly increasing, but the already low rate of turnout in European elections has declined. This text analyzes these concepts of applicability at the European level