Referendums and the European Union

Abstract

Why have referendums on European integration proliferated since the 1970s? How are referendums accommodated within member states' constitutional orders and with what impact on the European integration process? What is the likely institutional impact of referendums on the future of the European integration process? Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach, these are just some of the fundamental questions addressed in this book. The central thesis is that the EU is faced with a 'direct democratic dilemma', which is compounded by the EU's rigid constitutional structure and a growing politicisation of the referendum device on matters related to European integration. Referendums and the European Union discusses how this dilemma has emerged to impact on the course of integration and how it can be addressed.

Referendums in the European Union: Defective by Birth?

“…Initially 35 of the convention's members put forth a proposal for an EU‐wide referendum to be held on the Constitutional Treaty on the same day across all the Member States, and for it to be binding where constitutionally possible; by the end of the convention process 97 convention members had signed a petition for a Europe‐wide referendum which was also supported by the Liberals and the Greens in the European Parliament. The Praesidium, however, chose not to pursue this option (Mendez et al ., , p. 195). The idea was thus forgotten, and the decision of whether or not to hold a referendum was left to the discretion of each Member State.…”

“…Mendez et al . () also come to the conclusion that about a third of the referendums related to EU issues are triggered by partisan calculus, especially when consensus between the incumbent and the opposition is low. Although there is little evidence regarding mandatory referendums and the activation of the partisan logic, existing evidence seems to support the results of Table .…”

“…By definition, all referendums called under the logic of constitutionality as defined by Méndez et al . () are mandatory.…”

“… Source : Authors’ own elaboration, based on Méndez et al . (), p. 86–87, and c2d database (Centre for Direct Democracy, Aarau).…”

Referendum challenges to the EU’s policy legitimacy – and how the EU responds

“…Mendez et al 2014: chapter 3). There can be multiparty agreement that calling a referendum is appropriate because joining the EU is of such major national significance that it is desirable to add the legitimacy of direct democracy to that conferred by parliamentary representatives (Closa 2007).…”