[BLOG POST] Kelbel C., Navarro J. and Neihouser M., “Interinstitutional Relations in the EU: Is Too Much Complexity Bad For Democracy?”, RECONNECT Project website, 13 November 2020
In the wake of the Conference on the Future of Europe, our recently released RECONNECT paper on “Interinstitutional Relations in the EU” delves into the complex network of relationships among EU institutions to unveil the current balance of powers within the EU and assess the impact of recent democratic innovations. The focus is directed in particular at the European Parliament (EP) as central to the representation-accountability mechanisms and as the major beneficiary of interinstitutional shifts of power at the EU level. After an introductive historical review of the development of the EP’s powers and influence, our study sheds light on the current interinstitutional decision-making processes by adopting an original point of view, namely that of the MEPs and – although to a lesser extent – that of the members of the National Parliaments.
MEPs and the Legislative Process from an Interinstitutional Perspective
Starting with legislative practices, we build on the assumption that contemporary developments may influence representatives’ perceptions and ultimately their work, which in turn has consequences for the EP and EU democracy more broadly. We explore this issue employing a , namely the 2020 ESPOL-EPRG MEP which gathers the responses of 122 MEPs from 26 member states and all parliamentary groups represented in the Strasbourg assembly. […]
