Legitimacy and the European Union

This text looks at the legitimacy of European supra-national governement. It discusses what is changing and why, where the power lies and what are the likely scenarios for development. It also examines the concept of the "democratic deficit" and assesses the legitimacy of the EU government.

Most of the contemporary debates about the European Union - about its role, its institutional arrangements, its development dynamic, its expansion and possible futures - revolve around the issue of political legitimacy. Legitimacy and the European Union addresses the fundamental issues at the heart of the debates on Europe and examines such key questions as:- -What is the scope of the EU''s authority -Is there a legitimacy deficit? If so, how much does it matter -Does political legitimacy only reside in the nation state?   Using a multi-dimensional conception of political legitimacy, the text analyses the character and problems of the European Union''s authority in respect of democracy, political identity and governmental performance. Its distinctive claim is that political legitimacy can now only be understood as a process of interaction between the state and EU levels, and that this interaction impacts differentially on different member states.