A democratic challenge

As has been the case since 1979, the year that saw the introduction of the direct election of the members of the European Parliament, in June 2009, male and female EU citizens will decide the election of Strasbourg’s deputies for the seventh time. In the past 30 years, the EU Parliament has gained considerable influence over Community policies and legislation. More than often, this influence has been underestimated. The news regarding Union developments transmitted by television and the press is insufficient. The media tend to focus on national news, and whenever European issues are mentioned the highlight is placed on national players, mostly heads of government and foreign ministers, preferably from their own Country. The rest of the news is concealed in mid-tone darkness. By comparing the news reports on national capitals with the news regarding Brussels and Strasbourg the ratio is evidently unbalanced, considering the general and long-term relevance of European provisions. This is a great problem for trans-national community. European institutions cannot compensate this information gap with their own means, while governments don’t do much to counter it either. This goes to the detriment of the Union’s credibility and acceptance. Hence, over the past decades participation in European elections has gradually decreased, although this institution has gained primary importance for the EU’s political developments and policies. This brings to the fore an evident democracy deficit that calls into question the legitimacy of the entire integration process. How can this challenge be faced? It’s obvious to expect that political parties will seek to erect bridges linking citizens to European institutions. In order to do so, parties ought to develop appropriate organization and communication structures that will enable them to act efficiently at Community level. The parties have started to work in this direction. During the past decades, the traditional Christian-Democratic, Socialist and Liberal “families” joined into European Parties. These are the European Popular Party, the European Socialist Party and the European Liberal, Democrat and Reform Party, the European Green party, while other groups representing environmentalist, regionalist and Euro-sceptical and nationalist groups from different countries followed suit. However, the establishment of European political structures is not enough. National political groups ought to “become European” with direct and programmed political action aimed at the EU’s future development – almost becoming national chapters of European parties – and addressing issues from a super-national angle in order to respond to European problems. In so doing, the parties will come to realise that these are the same problems marking the national arenas, which can be appropriately solved only if tackled and set against the European scenario. It’s unfortunately true that parties view their existential role only as a successful gain of power. If they are unable to give political and historical significance to their existence and to their work, parties will remain void of meaning ultimately loosing their power-acquisition ability.