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Democracy & Rule of Law in EU: Transformations & Challenges

Explore the profound changes in democracy and the rule of law in the European Union, including backsliding and low voter turnout. Learn about the tools and strategies to address these challenges and strengthen democratic participation. Discover ways to improve citizens' understanding of EU issues and enhance the focus on European polity and policies.

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Democracy & Rule of Law in EU: Transformations & Challenges

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  1. Fundamental Principles under Pressure?Democracy and Rule of Law Transformations in the European Union Prof. Dr. Jan Wouters(KU Leuven) Project Coordinator of RECONNECT

  2. Democracy and the Rule of Law are undergoing profound changes in the EU • Rule of law: Backsliding is a reality in several EU Member States  Which tools can the EU use to address this crisis? • Democracy: Low voter turnout, low interests in EU issues  How to strengthen the link between the European Parliament and its citizens?

  3. Democratic participation • What affects voter turnout in European elections?  Turnout in national elections  Temporal proximity between EP and national elections  Timing of elections (weekday v. weekend)  Number of effective political parties

  4. Democratic participation • What can you do?  Avoid voters’ fatigue: no elections or referendums close to EP elections  Increase efficiency: hold several elections on the same day  Opt for the weekend: organize elections on Sat/Sun

  5. Citizens’ perceptions • How important were EU issues for the European elections? RECONNECT surveys show:  EP elections discussed with limited focus on European polity and policy aspects  Sizeable group of EU citizens did not discuss EU-related issues at all

  6. “Which issue among the following did you discuss the most in the past month?” Percentage of respondents mentioning The Euro or European Integration as discussion topics

  7. 20-50% of EU citizens did not discuss EU politics at all before/after elections

  8. Citizens’ perceptions • What can you do?  National, regional and local campaigns need to place greater emphasis on European issues  EU citizens need to have a better understanding of the competences of the EU:  “What is at stake in an EU election?”  Provide basic training on EU politics

  9. More information: • RECONNECT Policy brief • https://www.reconnect-europe.eu/

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