Why the EU´s constitutionalization and parliamentarization are worsening the existing democratic deficit in European foreign and defence policies. JMWP No. 59.06, February 2006

Stavridis, Stelios. (2006) Why the EU´s constitutionalization and parliamentarization are worsening the existing democratic deficit in European foreign and defence policies. JMWP No. 59.06, February 2006. [Working Paper]

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Abstract

One key objective of the EU Constitutional Treaty was to democratize the Union, through the twin process of constitutionalization and parliamentarization. As such, these two developments might be seen as steps in the right direction. But, contrary to their democratizing intention, this paper will argue that both constitutionalization and parlamentarization are in fact aggravating the existing deficits in foreign policy and in defence. This is a dimension that has been much less noticed in the (academic) literature, which has tended to focus on the ratification problems. Thus, by failing to democratize the CFSP, the new Treaty represents a golden lost opportunity. In addition, by bringing in the national parliaments, it is worsening the current lack of democratic scrutiny, because national foreign policies also suffer from their own respective democratic gaps. Finally, by extending the CFSP’s competence to defence, the situation becomes even more problematic: defence policy is notorious for its lack of democratic scrutiny. It is not the objective of this paper to argue against constitutionalization or parliamentarization. But it is its objective to signal their negative implications for the democratic scrutiny of an expanding EU foreign, security and defence agenda.

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