Assessing the Democratic Deficit in the EU: towards a Participatory Approach

Abstract

The deficit of democracy in the European Union (EU) explains the widening gap between EU citizens and the European Project. This fact leads to a situation in which citizens’ opinions are not taken into consideration by the supranational bodies. This pattern will continue until the average EU citizen will be able to intervene directly in the policy-making processes of the EU in a more significant way. Citizens’ confidence in the EU has eroded largely since the Maastricht Treaty. Furthermore, it is an ongoing process that will not be countered until the deficit of democracy in the EU will be effectively confronted. The EU will never be considered as a real union and a fully democratic structure without the active participation of citizens in the configuration of the political agenda and over the control of the governmental implementation.