Making Democracy the Priority in EU Economic Governance: Four Theses on the Foundations of the T-Dem Project

• Main Author: Ben Crum
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: European Papers (www.europeanpapers.eu) 2018-05-01
• Series: European Papers
• Subjects: democratic deficit; eu economic governance; european parliament; eurozone crisis; interparliamentary coordination; national parliaments
• Online Access: https://www.europeanpapers.eu/en/e-journal/making-democracy-priority-in-eu-economic-governance

(Series Information) European Papers - A Journal on Law and Integration, 2018 3(1), 59-65 | Overview | (Table of Contents) I. Introduction. - II. Democracy and economic reforms. - II.1. Democracy needs to take priority over effectiveness in Eurozone governance. - II.2. Disentangle democratization of the Eurozone from any particular policy program. - III. What kind of parliamentarization? - III.1. The parliamentarization of Eurozone governance requires an integrated approach. - III.2. Empower and refocus existing parliamentary institutions instead of creating new ones. | (Abstract) The T-Dem project of Hennette, Piketty, Sacriste and Vauchez puts the spotlight on, possibly, the main shortcoming of the flurry of recent Eurozone reforms: the lack of effective democratic controls. I offer a sympathetic comment on the initiative that goes to endorse and reinforce much of its intentions. However, I also raise two criticisms as I insist on the need to disentangle democratic reforms from any substantial policy proposals and advocate strengthening accountability relations between the present institutions rather than establishing a new Parliamentary Assembly for the Eurozone.