Democratic politics in a European Union under stress

Abstract
This book offers a comprehensive political analysis of the Euro crisis that erupted in Greece in 2010 and subsequently threatened the very survival of the Euro area. It has left a profound mark on democratic politics all over Europe, changing public attitudes and voting preferences, institutional and societal norms, and deeply anchored political traditions.

The contributors to this volume reveal the extent to which policymakers are torn between the pressures emanating from financial markets and the demands put forward by their own constituents; how they struggle to reconcile national preferences with wider European interests; and how a polarised and politicised Union seeks to maintain some degree of cohesion. The emerging picture is that of a European Union under serious stress, transformed by new governance structures and a shifting balance of power. In response, the authors evaluate the prospects of a more legitimate and democratic Europe. They provide a rich and pluralist set of new analyses and proposals, aimed at understanding and navigating the myriad tensions which surround the EU in the aftermath of the crisis. If the European project is to regain the trust of its citizens, such considerations must take a central place in public debate.

Readership: Students and scholars interested in EU politics, political economy and law; journalists and practitioners with an interest in EU politics and economics.

Table of contents

1 A European Union under Stress (Olaf Cramme & Sara B. Hobolt)

Part 1 The Political Consequences of the Crisis
2 Political Legitimacy in a Non-Optimal Currency Area (Fritz W. Scharpf)
3 Public Attitudes towards the Euro Crisis (Sara B. Hobolt)
4 The Europeanization of the National Political Debate (Hanspeter Kriesi & Edgar Grande)
5 Politicizing Europe: The Challenge of Executive Discretion (Jonathan White)
6 The Role of National Legislatures in EU Politics (Tapio Raunio)
7 Differentiated Integration Before and After the Crisis (Frank Schimmelfennig)

Part 2 Prospects for a more Legitimate and Democratic Europe
8 The Insurance Potential of a Non-Optimal Currency Area (Waltraud Schelkle)
9 EU Law-Making and the State of European Democratic Agency (Damian Chalmers & Mariana Chaves)
10 Democratizing a Macroeconomic Union in Europe (Simon Hix)
11 Democratic Standards in an Asymmetric Union (Andreas Føllesdal)
12 Rethinking Electoral Democracy in Europe (Catherine E. de Vries)
13 The Need for Legitimate Opposition and Protectionism (Sverker Gustavsson)