Table Of ContentCRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL
DEMOCRACY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION
This book takes a wide-ranging approach to tackle the complex question of the
current state of constitutional democracy in the EU. It brings together a broad set
of academics and practitioners with legal and political perspectives to focus on
both topical and perennial issues concerning constitutional democracy (includ-
ing safeguarding the rule of law and respect for fundamental rights) in theory
and practice, primarily at EU level but also with due regard to national and global
developments. This approach underlines that rather than a single problématique
to be analysed and resolved, we are presently facing a kaleidoscopic spectrum
of related challenges that influence each other in elusive, multifaceted ways.
Critical Reflections on Constitutional Democracy in the European Union offers
a rich a nalysis of the issues as well as concrete policy recommendations, which
will appeal to scholars and practitioners, students and interested citizens alike. It
provides a meaningful contribution to the array of existing scholarship and debate
by proposing original elements of analysis, challenging often-made assumptions,
destabilising settled understandings and proposing fundamental reforms. Overall,
the collection injects a set of fresh critical perspectives on this fundamental issue
that is as contemporary as it is eternal.
Volume 94 in the Series Modern Studies in European Law
Modern Studies in European Law
Recent titles in this series:
Unity in Adversity: EU Citizenship, Social Justice
and the Cautionary Tale of the UK
Charlotte O’Brien
The Use of Force and Article 2 of the ECHR in Light of European Conflicts
Hannah Russell
Environmental Crime in Europe
Edited by Andrew Farmer, Michael Faure and Grazia Maria Vagliasindi
Questioning EU Citizenship: Judges and the Limits
of Free Movement and Solidarity in the EU
Edited by Daniel Thym
The European Union under Transnational Law:
A Pluralist Appraisal
Matej Avbelj
Illegally Staying in the EU: An Analysis of Illegality in EU Migration Law
Benedita Menezes Queiroz
Social Legitimacy in the Internal Market: A Dialogue of Mutual Responsiveness
Jotte Mulder
The EU Better Regulation Agenda: A Critical Assessment
Edited by Sacha Garben and Inge Govaere
Administrative Regulation Beyond the Non-Delegation Doctrine:
A Study on EU Agencies
Marta Simoncini
The Interface Between EU and International Law: Contemporary Reflections
Edited by Inge Govaere and Sacha Garben
The Rise and Decline of Fundamental Rights in EU Citizenship
Adrienne Yong
The Court of Justice and European Criminal Law:
Leading Cases in a Contextual Analysis
Edited by Valsamis Mitsilegas, Alberto di Martino and Leandro Mancano
The EU as a Global Regulator for Environmental Protection:
A Legitimacy Perspective
Ioanna Hadjiyianni
Citizenship, Crime and Community in the European Union
Stephen Coutts
For the complete list of titles in this series, see
‘Modern Studies in European Law’ link at
www.bloomsburyprofessional.com/uk/series/modern-studies-in-european-law
Critical Reflections on
Constitutional Democracy
in the European Union
Edited by
Sacha Garben
Inge Govaere
and
Paul Nemitz
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Names: Garben, Sacha, 1982-, editor. | Govaere, Inge, editor. | Nemitz, Paul F., editor.
Title: Critical reflections on constitutional democracy in the European Union /
Edited by Sacha Garben, Inge Govaere, Paul Nemitz.
Description: Chicago : Hart Publishing, an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019. |
Series: Modern studies in european law; volume 94 | Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019029252 (print) | LCCN 2019029253 (ebook) |
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FOREWORD
Do we need more literature about democracy and the European Union? To judge
from this book, the answer is clearly ‘yes’, despite all that has already been w ritten
on the subject. The reader will benefit from a collection of chapters that are
both comprehensive and thought-provoking. Despite the different backgrounds,
profiles and approaches of the authors, the editors have succeeded in bringing
together contributions presenting a sufficiently common thread.
The volume rightly covers not only the Union level as such, but also takes
into account the national level as well as the relations between the two. This is
all the more pertinent as it has become increasingly clear that the EU should be
perceived as a ‘federative’ multi-level system rather than as a dichotomic constel-
lation between the Union as an international organisation, on the one hand, and
a group of individual Member States, on the other. Union law and national law,
including Union and national constitutional law, have become interwoven to such
an extent that we can speak of a common legal system even if historically, they
draw upon distinct legal orders.1
This collection confirms that the EU (in its broad conception), and constitu-
tional democracy in the EU, in particular, is, to put it mildly, facing a number
of challenges. The authors are well aware that we are not dealing with challenges
facing the Union level alone as the Member States are affected perhaps even to a
greater extent. Some polls suggest that citizens have even less confidence in their
national governments than in EU institutions. I would add that for those living
in third countries the EU (Russia, Turkey, not to speak of Venezuela, to name
but a few examples) the state of democracy in the EU, whether considered at the
Union level or at national level, or viewing both levels together, may appear as
a paradise.
That said, the book highlights a number of problems and challenges specific
to the EU system of constitutional democracy, while avoiding getting stuck on the
notion of ‘democratic deficit’ (which in my humble view is a misnomer). These
contributions contain a number of suggestions how to improve the system; most
of them would seem entirely worthwhile exploring. The warnings against what
is referred to as the ‘over-constitutionalisation’ of rights, at the expense of the
powers of legislative and other democratic (political) bodies should be heeded.
What Advocate General Bobek has observed fairly recently about data protection
1 A Rosas and L Armati, EU Constitutional Law: An Introduction, 3rd rev ed (Oxford, Hart Publish-
ing, 2018) 15, 51, 63, 80.
vi Foreword
is in my view relevant for the risk of ‘over-constitutionalisation’ of fundamental
rights in general: ‘Eventually, the overbroad application and certain “application
absolutism” might end up discrediting the original idea … which was in itself very
important and legitimate’.2
That said, whatever achievable reforms to strengthen the democratic legiti-
macy of the EU, they would not satisfy some of the extreme right-wing political
forces now in vogue. They and their external backers are out to destroy the EU
and discard the idea of European integration altogether. They see globalisation
and European regional integration as obstacles to return to some pure form of
nation-state and nationalism. They see themselves as the only spokesperson for
the ‘will of the people’ in each nation. When coming to power, they will attack two
pillars of constitutional ‘liberal’ democracy: the independence of courts and a free
press. Their popular support would seem grounded in politico-cultural (ideologi-
cal) outlook as much as economic grievances or actual perceived problems in the
system of democratic decision-making.
At the time of writing, the European elections held on 23–26 May 2019
produced a mixed result. While the forces set out to destroy the EU gained some
ground in some Member States, they encountered setbacks elsewhere. The fears
that the European Parliament could be overrun by forces hostile to that very
Parliament proved to be grossly overblown. There is a future for constitutional
democracy in Europe but it has to be constantly adapted to new challenges and
demands. This book will be an important contribution to a debate about how to
improve the different components of the system, without destroying the very foun-
dations of the system itself.
Allan Rosas
2 Opinion of Bobek AG of 26 January 2017, para 95, in Case C-13/16 Rīgas satiksme EU:C:2017:336.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword by Allan Rosas ����������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������v
Notes on Contributors �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������xi
1. Critical Reflections on Constitutional Democracy
in the European Union and its Member States �����������������������������������������������������1
Sacha Garben, Inge Govaere and Paul Nemitz
PART I
CRITICAL REFLECTIONS ON THE CURRENT STATE
OF CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY IN THE EU AND BEYOND
Section 1: Autocracy, Populism and Brexit
2. The Rise of Populism and the Malaise of Democracy �����������������������������������������27
Cesare Pinelli
3. The ‘Democratic Deficits’ of the US and the EU Compared �������������������������������47
R Daniel Kelemen
4. Constitutional Overload in a Constitutional Democracy:
The UK and the Brexit Process ����������������������������������������������������������������������������63
Michael Gordon
Section 2: Constitutionalism in the EU
5. EU Fundamental Rights Legislation: The Constitutional Imbroglio ������������������93
Elise Muir
6. The Value of Constitutionalism in the European Union ����������������������������������115
Armin Hatje
Section 3: Constitutional Democracy in the Eurozone
7. Is There a Deficit of Throughput Legitimacy in the EU? ����������������������������������127
Vivien A Schmidt
8. Accountability Through Self-Governance in EU Economic Governance ���������149
Ana Bobić
viii Table of Contents
9. ‘Where the Law Runs Out’: The Overburdening of Law
and Constitutional Adjudication by the Financial Crisis
and Europe’s New Modes of Economic Governance �����������������������������������������167
Christian Joerges
PART II
AN INSTITUTIONAL PERSPECTIVE
ON EU CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY
10. The Double Legitimacy and Multiple Accountability of the European
Commission: Some Reflections on its Constitutional Democratic Role �����������181
Ben Smulders
11. The Accidental Democracy: A European Model �����������������������������������������������199
María José Martínez Iglesias
12. Democratic Participation and Transparency of the EU Council ���������������������213
Leo Hoffmann-Axthelm
13. The Role of the Court of Justice in the Legitimation of the EU’s Action:
The Transparency Principle Example����������������������������������������������������������������225
Georges Vallindas
14. Transparency and Accountability of EU Decentralised Agencies and
Agencification in Light of the Common Approach on EU Decentralised
Agencies ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������245
Merijn Chamon
15. From Deparliamentarisation to a Parliamentary Renaissance?
National Parliaments in the EU Polity ��������������������������������������������������������������267
Adam Cygan
16. Disruptive Democracy: Keeping EU Citizens in a Box ������������������������������������295
Päivi Leino
PART III
EU CONSTITUTIONAL DEMOCRACY:
PISTES DE REFLECTION FOR THE FUTURE
17. Beyond Rhetoric: Education for Democratic Citizenship
in the European Union���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������319
Kris Grimonprez
Table of Contents ix
18. Strengthening Democracy in Europe and its Resilience Against Autocracy:
Daring More Democracy and a European Democracy Charter ����������������������345
Paul Nemitz and Frithjof Ehm
19. The Principle of Legality and the EU’s Legitimacy as a Constitutional
Democracy: A Research Agenda������������������������������������������������������������������������385
Sacha Garben
Index ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������419
