Claims of Representation in the EU: Constructions, Representations and Participations of the European Demos in the 2017 – 2019 Citizens' Consultations

Since its inception, the EU has had to face criticism of its lack of legitimacy due to its problems in line with the democratic procedures of the Member States and the peculiarities of its institutional organization. This debate has evolved with the transformations of the EU, and it was also clear that the legitimacy that comes from effectiveness and efficiency had to be taken into account (represented by the Commission and regulatory agencies, as it is the reason that the powers leave if they are nationals), and that provided by intergovernmental institutions (Council of Europe, indirect representation of citizens). All this has been reflected in different transformations that impact these balances between the institutions, and they have been questioned during the economic crisis. As many authors have pointed out, there has been a re-politicization of the EU, which again raises the question of its legitimacy. Many academics stress that crisis management has generated a genuine constitutional mutation in the member states. This highlights the need to review the conception of a multilevel political system, contemplating all its levels and their interrelations from the perspective of democratic theory. And, as is the case within the Member States themselves, the crisis of representation in the EU is being translated into a demand for citizens to approach: a) through the review of the representative relationship; b) claiming their direct participation in the public sphere and in decision-making processes.