Democratic Politics in a European Union Under Stress

First comprehensive analysis of the Euro crisis and its impact on democratic politics in Europe Contributions from a number of world leading scholars This book offers a comprehensive political analysis of the Euro crisis that erupted in Greece in 2010 and subsequently threatened the very survival of the Euro area. It has left a profound mark on democratic politics all over Europe, changing public attitudes and voting preferences, institutional and societal norms, and deeply anchored political traditions. The contributors to this volume reveal the extent to which policymakers are torn between the pressures emanating from financial markets and the demands put forward by their own constituents; how they struggle to reconcile national preferences with wider European interests; and how a polarized and politicized Union seeks to maintain some degree of cohesion. The emerging picture is that of a European Union under serious stress, transformed by new governance structures and a shifting balance of power. In response, the authors evaluate the prospects of a more legitimate and democratic Europe. They provide a rich and pluralist set of new analyses and proposals, aimed at understanding and navigating the myriad tensions which surround the EU in the aftermath of the crisis. If the European project is to regain the trust of its citizens, such considerations must take a central place in public debate. Readership: Students and scholars interested in EU politics, political economy and law; journalists and practitioners with an interest in EU politics and economics

1: Olaf Cramme and Sara B. Hobolt: A European Union under Stress The Political Consequences of the Crisis 2: Fritz W. Scharpf: Political Legitimacy in a Non-Optimal Currency Area 3: Sara B. Hobolt: Public Attitudes towards the Euro Crisis 4: Hanspeter Kriesi and Edgar Grande: The Europeanization of the National Political Debate 5: Jonathan White: Politicizing Europe: The Challenge of Executive Discretion 6: Tapio Raunio: The Role of National Legislatures in EU Politics 7: Frank Schimmelfennig: Differentiated Integration Before and After the Crisis Prospects for a more Legitimate and Democratic Europe 8: Waltraud Schelkle: The Insurance Potential of a Non-Optimal Currency Area 9: Damian Chalmers and Mariana Chaves: EU Law-Making and the State of European Democratic Agency 10: Simon Hix: Democratizing a Macroeconomic Union in Europe 11: Andreas Føllesdal: Democratic Standards in an Asymmetric Union 12: Catherine E. de Vries: Rethinking Electoral Democracy in Europe 13: Sverker Gustavsson: The Need for Legitimate Opposition and Protectionism