The easy question first: If we weren’t already in the EU, would you vote to join? We can actually ignore the majority of arguments put forward by the 2 sides in this debate. Democracy is the most precious commodity any …
Solving the EU’s democratic deficit would help revive democracy at the national level
William Outhwaite is Professor of Sociology at Newcastle University. His recent books include (with Larry Ray) Social Theory and Postcommunism (Blackwell, 2005); European Society (Polity, 2008); Habermas: a critical introduction (2nd edition, Polity, 2009) and Critical Theory and Contemporary Europe (Compendium 2012). The European Union has often …
‘East-West divide’ on LGBT rights in Europe
Zselyke Csaky is a Research Analyst at Freedom House. Public opinion on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) rights has undergone a significant shift in Europe in recent decades; however there is still substantial variation in terms of the way …
Europe is entering the ‘age of the referendum’
Stephen Tierney is Professor of Constitutional Theory at the University of Edinburgh and Director of the Edinburgh Centre for Constitutional Law. Referendums have become increasingly common occurrences in European states in recent decades. Stephen Tierney writes on some of the potential benefits …
EU funding for civil society organisations
Rosa Sanchez Salgado is an Assistant Professor of European Public Policy at the University of Amsterdam. Her previous research has principally focused on efforts by EU institutions, above all the Commission, to shape civil society organisations. A number of civil society organisations …
Democratic legitimacy & decisions at the EU
Sonia Alonso is a Research Fellow at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB) and editor of the Spanish political blog Agenda Pública. Juan Rodríguez Teruel is Lecturer in Political Science in the University of Valencia. His research focuses on political elites, …
The Spanish government and Catalonia
In April, the Spanish parliament rejected a request by Catalan authorities to hold a referendum on Catalonia’s independence from Spain, which had been proposed for November this year. Diego Muro and Martijn Vlaskamp argue that the Spanish government requires a more positive message for …