Empowering European Citizens: Challenges and the Road Ahead
View/ Open
Date
2013Author
Bauer, Kaitlyn
Carrizosa Peralta, Michelle
Edmiston, Paige
Faoro, Kate
Gyatso, Pema
Kantonen, Sarah
Kean, Annie
Klein, Janina
Lee, Josh
Loh, Stephanie
Lui, Peony
McKee, Lea
Merrick, Delaney
Smith, Lee
Talant, Dana
Walker, Alex
Wright, Stephanie
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The European Union makes frequent international headlines: the Eurozone crisis,
environmental progress, and accession negotiations with Turkey are just some recent topics.
However, what rarely makes headline news is the lack of democratic participation of citizens in the
process of Europeanization. Low voter turnout in elections to the European Parliament (EP), the
recent rejections of the Constitution by France and the Netherlands as well as the rejection of the
Lisbon Treaty by Ireland are all indicators of a deeper problem. We call it the democratic deficit of
the EU. By focusing on four major sections important to European integration, we suggest changes
that will strengthen democracy and increase citizen participation within the European Union.
Collections
- SIS 495 Task Force [106]