Legitimacy and the European UnionMost of the contemporary debates about the European Union - about its role, its institutional arrangements, its development dynamic, its expansion and possible futures - revolve around the issue of political legitimacy. Legitimacy and the European Union addresses the fundamental issues at the heart of the debates on Europe and examines such key questions as:- -What is the scope of the EU's authority -Is there a legitimacy deficit? If so, how much does it matter -Does political legitimacy only reside in the nation state? Using a multi-dimensional conception of political legitimacy, the text analyses the character and problems of the European Union's authority in respect of democracy, political identity and governmental performance. Its distinctive claim is that political legitimacy can now only be understood as a process of interaction between the state and EU levels, and that this interaction impacts differentially on different member states. |
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accountability Amsterdam Treaty arena argued argument Beetham citizens Commission consensus consensus democracy consent consociational constitutional constructed Council of Ministers countries criteria debate decision Dehousse democratic authorisation democratic legitimacy democratisation dimensions direct domestic politics economic effective elected electoral EU’s Europe European Community European Council European identity European integration European level European Parliament European Politics European Union framework Fritz Scharpf identity formation important indirect individual interaction issues justified legitimacy deficit legitimation liberal democracy liberal-democratic legitimacy loyalty Majone majoritarian market failures MEPs model of legitimacy Monetary Union national and European national governments national identity national level national parliaments nationhood normative organisation party patterns performance political authority political identity political leadership political legitimacy political system popular authorisation popular sovereignty power relations problems public choice question representation require role rules seen Single Market social society sovereignty structure supranational technocratic transnational Treaty Union level values Weiler