Suchergebnisse

AbstractThe role of national parliaments in EU matters has become an important subject in the debate over the democratic legitimacy of the European Union. Yet despite a remarkable increase in parliamentary involvement in EU affairs, the added value in terms of democratic legitimacy will remain limited if citizens are not aware of their activities. Given that citizens mainly experience politics through the media, the aim of the paper is therefore to explore whether and under what conditions parliamentary involvement in EU matters is visible in national newspapers. The paper draws on two quantitative datasets covering parliamentary EU activities and relevant newspaper articles in seven Member States between 2010 and 2013. Results suggest that the efforts of active parliaments pay off. In addition, conflict within government coalitions over EU issues and greater salience of EU politics in public opinion increase coverage while, surprisingly, both public and parliamentary euroscepticism do not.

APPLYING THE RESEARCH FRAMEWORK OUTLINED IN THE INTRODUCTION, THIS PAPER FINDS THAT IN THE NEW DEMOCRACIES OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPE BORROWING FROM THE OLD REGIME RATHER THAN FROM WESTERN EXPERTISE IS PREDOMINANT IN CONSTITUTION MAKING AND THAT THE POLICY ACTIVITY OF THE NEW PARLIAMENTS IS SHAPED PREDOMINANTLY BY EXTERNAL INFLUENCES. THE FLUID NATURE OF POLITICAL PARTIES AND LIMITED PRESSURE GROUP ACTIVITY FACILITATE POLICY ACTIVITY AT THE EXPENSE OF "RESPONSIBLE" PARTY GOVERNMENT. POLICY ATTRIBUTES ARE SHAPED BY THE STANCE TOWARD THE OLD REGIME. A PROCESS OF INSTITUTIONALIZATION IS APPARENT, WITH GREATER ACTIVITY, COMMITTEE SPECIALIZATION AND ORGANIZATIONAL SOPHISTICATION.

Reforms of the 1979-83 Parliament.

Earlier parts are listed in the 1940 annual.

What does the term "parliament" mean? Parliament is a legislature. The name is derived from the French "parlement", the action of "parler" (speaking): a parliament means talking, a discussion, hence a meeting (an assembly, a court) where people discuss matters.

THE AGREEMENT ON POLITICAL UNION REACHED BY THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITY (E.C.) HEADS OF GOVERNMENT IN DECEMBER 1991 WILL ENHANCE THE ROLE OF NATIONAL PARLIAMENTS IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE SEVERAL OTHER FEATURES OF THE AGREEMENT CREATE THE IMPRESSION THAT THE CENTER OF GRAVITY IN E.C. DECISION MAKING HAS FIRMLY MOVED AWAY FROM NATIONAL GOVERNMENTS TOWARDS A SUPRA-NATIONAL FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.