Presentation of Ambassador Gilbert-Roberts | Picture gallery

The first direct elections to the European Parliament were held in 1979. Thirty years later with the European elections approaching in 2009, the empowerment of the European Parliament and the democratic deficit of the European Union have been a contested topic. Arguably, the EU lacks a democratic structure with the effect that public support for policies made in Brussels is declining. Another argument frequently advanced is that the EU as a unique political system cannot have as democratic structures as its Member States. Thus, the aim of the debate is to shed light on past achievements and future prospects concerning the role of democracy in the EU.

An issue connected to this is the external dimension of democracy: In external relations with developing third countries, the EU puts emphasis on the existence of democratic structures and good governance when it comes to development aid. But how can the EU demand democracy by third countries and entities if the EU itself is not democratically structured? This brings up the question of legitimacy and justification to demand democracy in the external relations with third countries. In addition, it is interesting what can be learned from democratization processes in other regional entities similar to the EU.

The March debate aims at reflecting on the multifaceted role of democracy in the EU, both internally and externally. We hope that the interactive discussion among the speakers and later with the audience will lead to a fruitful debate, raising the awareness for pros and cons of democratization in the EU. We envision the debate to begin with the speaker’s concise insight into the aspects listed above from each expert’s point of view, lasting for approximately 15-20 minutes. Afterwards the moderator will lead the discussion among the speakers which is subsequently followed by a dialogue with the audience.

Organised by the Maastricht Debates sub-committee of Concordantia. Around 70 people participated.