A Representative European Parliament? MEPs and the Representation of Citizens’ Preferences

This paper will assess the extent to which Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) represent the positions of their voters and how much this has changed over time. These questions are particularly pertinent given that the 2014 European elections saw high numbers of Eurosceptic MEPs elected. In a context of declining support for the EU, Brexit, the Eurozone crisis and divisions over migration, understanding how far MEPs represent the preferences of EU citizens is crucial. If the EU is to have any democratic legitimacy, its Parliament needs to be representative of the range of views held by citizens. We measure positions using surveys of MEPs carried out by the European Parliament Research Group in 2000, 2006, 2010 and 2015 (www.mepsurvey.eu) in combination with the European Election Study voter surveys from 1999-2014. In particular, we ask whether competition from Eurosceptic parties has led mainstream MEPs to become more representative of the views of voters who tend not to favour European integration. We compare positions on a general left-right dimension and on a pro versus anti-integration dimension at four time points. In line with the third theme of the workshop, on why legislators might invest effort in providing linkage, we test explanations of the variation in representativeness based on electoral system differences. We also make comparisons over time, allowing us to assess how much representation has changed before and after the economic crisis in the EU. The findings will contribute to debates about (1) how electoral systems affect individual legislators’ efforts to represent citizens’ views and (2) how democratic the EU is, a critical question at a time of crisis in Europe.