1. IPSA International Conference Luxembourg, 18-20 March 2010 CSPP REPRESENTATION IN EU EXPLANATION WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION PROFESSOR RICHARD ROSE Director, Centre for the Study of Public Policy Research supported by a 2.5 year British Economic & Social Research Council grant

2. A FEW DEFINITIONS EUROPEAN UNION: Existing EU institutions and its 500 million citizens GOVERNANCE: Relation of government institutions to citizens DEMOCRATIC REPRESENTATION: Representatives chosen by universal suffrage and representing a cause which may or may not relate to natural persons 2

3. MULTIPLE EXPLANATIONS AND JUSTIFICATIONS HISTORY (H): Conjunctural agreements codified in institutions and laws result in path dependency. No choice but to accept the legacy of history. FUNCTIONAL (F): How an institution operates and is effective. JUSTIFICATIONS (J): International treaty law Democratic elections Technocratic expertise. Principles: Rule of law. Price stability, etc. Criteria applicable to six major EU institutions 3

4. MULTIPLE INSTITUTIONS OF THE EUROPEAN UNION SYSTEM Q 1. What or who do they represent? Q 2. How do they relate to each other? Q 3. What inputs do individuals have as national and EU citizens? 4

5. EU INSTITUTIONS REPRESENT: Principles: ECJ, ECB Corporate interests: ECOSOC, Committee of the Regions Technik: Supranational Commission staff States that signed a Treaty: Council of Ministers/ European Council 5

6. DEMOCRATIC LEGITIMATION THROUGH THE EP? Critics of policymakers can ask: Who elected you? European Parliament is elected BUT: Degressive proportionality. Not one person one vote, one value Federal representation for an upper chamber without a lower Most party groups do not have members from all countries Turnout low and stable --and so is Euro-gap Multiple populist parties: protest, sincere or both? 6

7. EU GOVERNANCE: AN ACCOUNTABLE STRATARCHY Each EU institution part of a co-decision process Accountable through checks and balances between EU institutions Stratarchy: Policymaking within a single stratum; shallow vertical ties None: European Commission. European Court. European Central Bank Indirect : Council of Ministers. Consultative Committees Electoral: European Parliament 7

8. COLLECTIVE ACTION BECOMING MORE IMPORTANT ISSUES AREAS: Economy: Fiscal deficits. Growth. Employment. Trade. Global warming. National security. Inter-continental immigration. EFFECTIVENESS MORE DIFFICULT: Diverse interests of 27 member states. EU only one of multiple global actors for each issue. 8

9. AN UNSTABLE LOW-LEVEL EQUILIBRIUM? Within the present context: Principled institutions, ECJ, ECB, have most scope for action BUT no electoral legitimacy Enlargement + Lisbon equals more checks than balances? Challenges to the stratarchy from below: From Losers Consent to Losers Resentment? National referendums: the ultimate deterrent to European integration? 9