Empowering European Citizens: Challenges and the Road Ahead

Abstract

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.