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NETWORK FOR A EUROPEAN DEMOI-CRACY: ARE THE NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS UP TO THE JOB?
Vesco Paskalev
Sažetak
This article focuses on the new opportunity for the national
parliaments to get involved in the EU legislative process which
is provided by the so-called yellow card mechanism introduced by
the Lisbon Treaty. I start with a discussion of the incentives for national parliaments to seize the new opportunity to influence European decision-making. I argue that the importance of the mechanism goes far beyond its stated goal to enforce the subsidiarity principle. Its true significance will first be in the engagement of parliaments in debates on the substantive issues of European policy, and second in stimulating cooperation amongst the parliaments of different Member States. In turn, this engagement and cooperation of parliaments can be expected to bring about communication among the citizens across national public spheres and their engagement with substantive policy issues rather than merely arguing for or against integration as is the case today. Thus, this modest-looking mechanism promises to nurture a transnational network of public spheres and to become what may be called a demoi-cracy. I also argue that the creation of such a network democracy (post-national rather than supra-national) is the only available road for democratisation of the EU because it does not depend on a forged common identity or solidarity. In the final section, I discuss experience with the mechanism during its first year, which seems disappointing.
Ključne riječi
Hrčak ID:
94666
URI
Datum izdavanja:
1.11.2011.
Posjeta: 1.062 *