week 6 eu

Question 1

What are five elements of EU democratic deficit?

Answer 1

• executive not accountable
• weak EU parliament
• Lack of European Elections
• EU too distant from citizens
• policy preferences already set in treaties

Question 2

Elaborate on why no accountability of executives show a democratic deficit

Answer 2

decisions are behind closed doors (comitology), but Commission is voted through the Parliament, commissioners have to go through parliamentary hearing and there can be a withdrawal of confidence

Question 3

Which two parliamentary hearings caused controversy?

Answer 3

1. Rocco Buttiglione, who was an Italian candidate in Barroso I Commission and sparked controversy because of some dubious opinions on homosexuality and marriage
2. Alenka Bratusek, who was a Slovenian candidate in Juncker Commission and showed incompetence and unclear behavior with ethical accusations

Question 4

Who sparked controversy in the current Leyen Commission?

Answer 4

1. Rovana Plumb of Romania who was to be transport commissioners but there were concerns about conflict of interest
2. László trócsányi of Hungary who was to be commissioner for relations with EU neighbors but also concerns about conflict of interest

Question 5

What happened to the Santer Commission?

Answer 5

Commission of Jacques Santer (1995-1999) where Paul van Buitenen (civil servant) denounced misspending which caused controversy over budget and Commission spending. There was mismanagement of funds by French commissioner Edith Cresson, which caused the Santer Commission to be illegitimate and it resigned on March 15 1999

Question 6

elaborate on why a weak parliament causes for democratic deficit?

Answer 6

with a weak parliament there is little competence and a lack of EU politics but the parliament does have co-decision for most areas and they approve budget

Question 7

What are the exceptions in co-decision for parliament?

Answer 7

Parliament has co-decision through OLP, but not there are exceptions in the internal market and competition law (consultation) and in the ratification of agreements, serious breach of fundamental rights and enlargement (consent)

Question 8

elaborate on why the lack of EU elections show democratic deficit?

Answer 8

There is not really an European debate, there is a low turnout and a lack of EU demos (unity). But there are EU parliament elections, elections for national government (indirectly) and several referenda

Question 9

What are the most recent referenda?

Answer 9

• membership of San Marino in 2013
• enlargement; Dutch referendum on Ukraine in 2016
• Brexit leave 2016
• greek bailout 2015
• unified patent court Denmark 2014
• Opt in JHA Denmark 2015
• Migrant quota Hungary 2016

Question 10

elaborate on why the distance of citizens adds to democratic deficit?

Answer 10

Citizens do not feel close to the EU and there is low trust, bad image and little satisfaction. But, there are legislative proposals (through citizens), indirect control (yellow and orange cards) and new QMV which holds voting to be 55% of states with 65% of population

Question 11

elaborate on why a policy drift adds to democratic deficit EU

Answer 11

The EU decides on “autopilot mode”, treaties set direction and structure and redistributive policies are not under way. But treaties have been changes (eurocrisis, covid-19) and integration is deepening, which may suggests redistribution at national level

Question 12

What were responses to the Eurocrisis?

Answer 12

in the early phase (2010) there was little response and eventually a more gradual response came along in the forms of
- European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF)
- European Financial Stability Mechanism (EFSM)
- European Stability Mechanism (ESM)
- Banking Union

Question 13

What is political legitimacy according to Easton?

Answer 13

There is input in the form of demands and support (politics, government BY the people), then there is throughput (processes, government WITH the people) and output (policies, government FOR the people)

Question 14

How does input, throughput and output show in the EU?

Answer 14

Input: citizens (express demands through representative politics, support through ID, community)
throughput: Council, EP, Commission (ECB/ECJ) and interest groups (efficacy, accountability, transparency, openness and inclusiveness)
output: decision (work effectively, resonate with ideals and values)

Question 15

According to Vivian Schmidt, what does throughput focusses on?

Answer 15

1. the ability of the system to produce desired and intended effects
2. accountability and transparency
3. inclusiveness and openness to civil society

Question 16

According to Vivian Schmidt, what do institutionalist say about input or output?

Answer 16

output: scholars are optimistic about the policy-related performance of EU institutions and balance between them
input: focus on EU majoritarian institutions and representation of citizen demands through elections

Question 17

According to Vivian Schmidt, what do constructivist say about input or output?

Answer 17

output: focus more on the extent to which EU policies tend to correspond with citizen values and identity
input: focus more on ideas and communicative processes involved in elections