DIRECT ELECTIONS, REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY AND EUROPEAN INTEGRATION

In: Electoral studies: an international journal, Band 8, Heft 3, S. 205-216

Abstract

SINCE 1984, THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAS GAINED INCREASED POWER AND WEIGHT WITHIN THE INSTITUTIONAL SYSTEM OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY. THUS, DIRECT ELECTIONS COULD BE EXPECTED TO BE OF GREATER IMPORT IN 1989 THAN THEY WERE IN 1984 OR 1979. IN FACT, HOWEVER, DIRECT ELECTIONS ARE INCAPABLE OF YIELDING THE VERDICT OF THE ELECTORATE ON THE FUTURE OF THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS NOT ONLY BECAUSE THEY ARE, ALTHOUGH IN FORM TRANSNATIONAL, IN REALITY A SUMMATION OF TWELVE SEPARATE NATIONAL CONTESTS; BUT ALSO BECAUSE OF THE VERY NATURE OF THE PARTY SYSTEMS IN THE MEMBER STATES AND THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT WHICH SERVE TO OBSCURE RATHER THAN ARTICULATE THE ISSUES INVOLVED IN EUROPEAN INTEGRATION.