Towards a more Deliberative and Participatory European Union (PDF)

Scientific Essay from the year 2023 in the subject Politics - Topic: European Union, grade: 10 (= A), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, language: English, abstract: Building and consolidating democracy are perennial processes. The European Union fundamentally appears as a community of values assumed and actively promoted by the member states. If values transcend generations, their forms of expression may vary depending on the socio-political framework. The essence of functional democracy lies in permanent cooperation between the state and society, based on responsibility, trust and mutual support. Having said that, numerous studies have shown that, at present, citizens feel systematically removed from the decision-making process, because democratic practices tend to become more and more formal, rigid, and European institutions act without asking for or, sometimes, even in ignoring the opinions expressed in society. The bodies of the Union must encourage civic engagement in all its forms, by developing normative framework conditions intended to encourage the individual desire for involvement of every European citizen. Participatory democracy can be combined with demarchy, representing the drawing of lots of a group of citizens invested with decision-making power on matters of major interest. In an age dominated by the optimism of rational planning, random democratic procedures can help strengthen the legitimacy of representative institutions and rebuild citizens' trust in the political class. In addition to the inherent need for reform that can be found in each member state, at the level of the Union there is also the major problem of Euroscepticism, which can be combated exactly by more sincerely affirming and implementing through new forms the values inscribed in the treaties.