Democracy in the EU

Introduction
The concept of ‘democracy’ refers to the involvement of the citizens in political decision-making. In practice, this is
usually achieved through general elections, whereby all citizens are able to elect representatives to make decisions on
their behalf in the national parliament. Another important aspect of democracy is the ability of the citizens to hold
their representatives to account. Often this is also through elections, when the citizens are able to reflect on the
decisions that have been made by their representatives and decide whether or not to re-elect them. Governments are
usually held accountable to national parliaments, so the citizens can encourage their representatives to criticise any
decisions that have been made by the government that they do not agree with.

The debate about democracy in the EU

How does a General Election actually work?
The EU impacts upon the everyday life of all of its citizens. Many national laws originate in the EU, and the range of
areas in which the EU can makeThelaws
UK isis already
a liberallarge and increasing.
democracy. In addition,
This means laws made by the
that we democratically EUpoliticians,
elect have supremacy
who
over national laws. Because ofrepresent
this, it is important thatItEU
our interests. citizens
also arethat
involves involved in therights
individual decision-making process and that
are protected.
the EU is democratic. There are a number of ways through which the EU claims to be democratic, however, just how
democratic. its decision-making really
The typeisofis liberal
the subject of debate.
democracy we have is a constitutional monarchy, where the powers of
the monarch are limited by the terms and conditions put down in the constitution.
How the EU is democratic
The most obvious way in which the EU is democratic is that the European Parliament (EP) is composed of MEPs who
are directly elected by the EU citizens. Since 1979, every five years elections are held in which EU citizens are able to
elect MEPs to represent their Parliamentary
views in the EU. A system
system of proportional representation is used to elect MEPs in all
The UK has a parliamentary
member states. As of the 2014 European Parliament elections, system in of
andemocratic
attempt to governance.
make the processUnlikemore
presidential and
democratic,
the major political groups nowsemi-presidential
nominate a lead systems,
candidate,there is an interconnection
or "Spitzenkandidat", between
for the the legislative
President (law-
of the European
making)
Commission, who is then approved by and executive (law-enforcing) branches of government in a parliamentary
the Parliament.
system. In the UK, this means that the executive (consisting of the Queen and the
governments
Another way in which the opinions of England,
and interests of the Scotland,
citizens areWales and Northern
represented in theIreland)
EU is in is
theaccountable to the
European Council
legislature
and the Council of the European or Parliament
Union (also (House
known as the of Commons,
Council House
of Ministers). of of
Both Lords andinstitutions
these devolved Assemblies in
are made up
Wales and Northern
of people from the national governments Ireland).
of the member states. As most national governments are elected by the
people directly (the President of France is directly elected) or indirectly (the UK government is created from the
Appointed Prime Minister (or chancellor) as Head of Government and a monarch (or
political party that wins the majority of the seats in a general election), they are indirectly representing their citizens at
ceremonial president) as Head of State.
the EU level. By voting to change the national government, citizens are also changing the way their views are
represented in the EU, and so these institutions are also indirectly accountable to European citizens.

Thirdly, the Lisbon Treaty (2007) contained a section on improving democracy in the EU – Title II Provisions on
Democratic Principles. Included in this is the introduction of a procedure called the ‘Citizens’ Initiative’ whereby
First-Past-The-Post
citizens of the EU can invite the European Commission to initiate a piece of legislation. At least one million citizens
from a majority of the member states need
Members to sign an in
of Parliament initiative for itoftoCommons
the House be considered by theusing
are elected European Commission. In
the first-past-the-
this way the citizens are able to become
post directly
electoral involved
system. Each ofwith
thedecision-making at the EU level.
650 voting constituencies in the UK are represented by
an MP. During the general and most local elections, the candidate with most of the votes
The Lisbon Treaty also increased the powers
becomes of the
the local European Parliament,
representative. Candidates socampaign
that the elected representatives
door-to-door, of theand
hold debates
citizens get a greater say in decision-making,
publish manifestosand (comparable
increased thetorole of national
shopping list ofparliaments
what they arein law-making.
planning to National
do once
parliaments now have the power to consider and to challenge any EU laws that they think should be
they are in power). Eligible voters, about 46m in the UK, receive their polling card made at a national
once
rather than an EU level: thereby enforcing
they register the subsidiarity
online, principle.
or they can vote by post.

Party with most of the votes is invited by the Queen to form a government. If there is no
clear winner, there is a hung Parliament. In this case, a minority or coalition government
can be formed. A minority government does not have an overall majority in Parliament. A
coalition
© CIVITAS Institute for the Study government
of Civil Society 2015 means that two or more political parties agree
Author: Lucy to share
Hatton power in
07/2011
More EU factsheets: www.civitas.org.uk/eu-facts Last update: Anna Sonny, 06/2016
government. If that does not work out, new elections may be called.
 Democracy in the EU
Where the EU fails to be democratic
The idea that the EU suffers from a democratic deficit is widely supported in academic circles. One cause of this
complaint is that the EU appears too distant from its citizens. It is considered too complicated for the citizens to be
sufficiently involved in its decision-making and a lack of transparency and education prevents them from
understanding the nature of the EU and how they can influence it. Although the Lisbon Treaty improves transparency,
the introduction of the Citizens’ Initiative is not expected to be effective enough to improve the relationship between
the EU and its citizens, as it is unlikely that many citizens will be aware of the opportunity that it provides.

Secondly, the powers of the EP, as the only directly elected EU institution, are weaker than those of other institutions.
The EP is unable to propose legislation and only has the power to propose amendments to laws. Elections for the EP
also suffer from a low turnout (in the UK only 35.6% of people voted in the 2014 EP election), so many citizens are not
How does a General Election actually work?
accepting the opportunity to influence decision-making. In addition, those who do vote tend to vote more on the basis
The UKrather
of their opinions on national issues is a liberal democracy.
than European This means
issues, due in that
part we
to ademocratically elect from
feeling of distance politicians, who
the workings
of the EU. represent our interests. It also involves that individual rights are protected.

The type of liberal democracy we have is a constitutional monarchy, where the powers of
Thirdly, the European Commission is an entirely appointed institution, not democratically elected, and it has the
the monarch are limited by the terms and conditions put down in the constitution.
monopoly of proposing laws: there is no competition over who has political authority and sets the agenda at the
European level. EU citizens do not get a choice over who is part of this powerful body, and the Commission is only
accountable to the European Parliament in its entirety: individual Commissioners who are performing badly cannot be
sacked. The Commission lacks legitimacy: it is much too powerful for an institution that is not democratically
Parliamentary system
representative of the EU citizens or accountable to them.
The UK has a parliamentary system of democratic governance. Unlike presidential and
semi-presidential systems, there is an interconnection between the legislative (law-
“The resulting ‘democratic deficit’
making)would not be acceptable
and executive in a Community
(law-enforcing) branches committed
of governmentto democratic principles. Yet
in a parliamentary
such a deficit would besystem.
inevitable unless
In the UK,the
thisgap
meanswerethat
somehow to be filled
the executive by the European
(consisting Parliament..”
of the Queen and the
Labour Politician David Marquand, 1979
governments of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) is accountable to the
The first recorded use of the legislature
term ‘democratic deficit’ (House
or Parliament in relation to European
of Commons, HouseEconomic Community,
of Lords precursor
and devolved to thein
Assemblies
Wales and Northern Ireland).EU

“The functioningAppointed
of the Union shallMinister
Prime be founded on the principle
(or chancellor) of representative
as Head of Government democracy."
and a monarch (or
Treaty
ceremonial of Lisbon,
president) 2007,ofTitle
as Head II Article 8A.1
State.

“Every citizen shall have the right to participate in the democratic life of the Union. Decisions shall be taken as openly
and as closely as possible to the citizen."
Treaty of Lisbon, 2007, Title II Article 8A.3

Technical Terms First-Past-The-Post

Members of Parliament in the House of Commons are elected using the first-past-the-
 Supremacy: the principle thatelectoral
post EU law issystem.
superiorEach
to national
of thelaws
650when the
voting European Courtinofthe
constituencies Justice hasrepresented
UK are jurisdiction. by
 Subsidiarity: the principle that decisions should be made at the lowest level and as close to the citizens as possible.
 Democratic Deficit: thean MP.
idea thatDuring
the EUthe generalinand
is deficient most local
democracy andelections, the candidate
lacks democratic principleswith
suchmost of the votes
as representation
and accountability. becomes the local representative. Candidates campaign door-to-door, hold debates and
 Proportional representation:
publishanmanifestos
electoral system whereby the
(comparable number oflist
to shopping votes a party
of what receives
they is directlyto
are planning proportional
do once to
the number of seats they are given in the parliament.
they are in power). Eligible voters, about 46m in the UK, receive their polling card once
Links they register online, or they can vote by post.

 http://europa.eu/legislation_summaries/glossary/democratic_deficit_en.htm
Party with most of the votes is invited by the Queen to form a government. If there is no
 http://europa.eu/lisbon_treaty/glance/democracy/index_en.htm
clear winner, there is a hung Parliament. In this case, a minority or coalition government
can be formed. A minority government does not have an overall majority in Parliament. A
coalition
© CIVITAS Institute for the Study government
of Civil Society 2015 means that two or more political parties agree
Author: Lucy to share
Hatton power in
07/2011
More EU factsheets: www.civitas.org.uk/eu-facts Last update: Anna Sonny, 06/2016
government. If that does not work out, new elections may be called.