Does democracy have borders?

In the framework of the European unification process we note that political decision ambits are extending across national State borders. Even measures related to human existence, configuration, development, and to the future of E.U. Member States, are being discussed and adopted across national borders and Constitutions. This does not entail national States’ subordination. Rather, it implies the possibility of participating in the establishment of wider political domains. At the same time, our experience leads to conclude that the result of national States’ egress from this context, is that decisions related to national and international legislation are made with the ever-greater contribution of civil society representatives who don’t have a political mandate. Their legitimization stems from other sources, such as their involvement, commitment and expertise. Where is democracy, when politics traverses its traditional national ambit? Is democracy possible beyond national borders? Not only the existence and activity of the European Parliament, but also the origin of European parties and the development of the European party-system show that the questions deserve a positive answer, considering that this claim is supported by corresponding developments across civil society. Social partners, i.e. trade unions and employers, along with consequential organizations, come together in trans-national associations at European level with the corresponding communication, decision-making and execution bodies. In terms of participatory democracy, they partake in the opinion-making process and in the E.U.’s legislative procedure through the European Economic and Social Committee (since 1958), through social dialogue (since the 1990s) and recently also through the dialogue with civil Society provided for in the Lisbon Treaty.A basic prerequisite exists with the resulting political infrastructure – marked by ongoing development – aimed at the organization of democracy and for the mediated participation to the life of the E.U. on the part of its citizens. The evolution of the European Union at constitutional level has shown that transferring the decision-making ambits from the Member States’ national realm entailed the transfer of democracy to the European dimension. Concerns regarding a thwarted development of democracy in the new supra-national realm are ungrounded. However, in order to accept this as a fact, it must be admitted that European unification is a process and that the European Union is not yet a finished product. Not always can things turn out as wished by those who only rely on theory if procedures are ignored. The integration process determines the surging inter-connection of national States with Europe’s political system, thus also between national and European democracy. The political ambits are inter-related at different levels, also through the channels made available by parties and associations. In short, a single political system enables national protagonists to take part in the realization of a global European community whilst Member States are called to follow the common will in a democratic manner and provide their practical contribution.