Power of the European Parliament and Democratic Legitimacy of the European Union

Yerim SEO

Master's thesis

The Article 7 procedure against Hungary

Democratic legitimacy in the European Parliament

Abstract:

The European Union has been faced with the problem of democratic deficit since its foundation, and in order to properly address political issues within the Union, building solid legitimacy is essential. The recent rule of law crisis in Hungary have raised concerns over the capacity and willingness of the European Union to protect its fundamental values. The Article 7 procedure was triggered against Hungary with a proposal by the European Parliament, but there has been no meaningful and constructive progress. The thesis analyzes the role and power of the European Parliament in this context, examining whether and how it is engaged in the procedure, and how it has exercised its power as the only directly elected institution in the European Union. Political nature of the intervention of the European Union in national democracy and the rule of law can be understood the most when the European Parliament is actively involved. The thesis concludes that the weak parliament and institutional imbalance of power result in ineffective and inefficient actions by the European Union, and furthermore in order to ensure the legitimacy of the European Union, the European Parliament should be more empowered.

Abstract:

The European Union has been faced with the problem of democratic deficit since its foundation, and in order to properly address political issues within the Union, building solid legitimacy is essential. The recent rule of law crisis in Hungary have raised concerns over the capacity and willingness of the European Union to protect its fundamental values. The Article 7 procedure was triggered against Hungary with a proposal by the European Parliament, but there has been no meaningful and constructive progress. The thesis analyzes the role and power of the European Parliament in this context, examining whether and how it is engaged in the procedure, and how it has exercised its power as the only directly elected institution in the European Union. Political nature of the intervention of the European Union in national democracy and the rule of law can be understood the most when the European Parliament is actively involved. The thesis concludes that the weak parliament and institutional imbalance of power result in ineffective and inefficient actions by the European Union, and furthermore in order to ensure the legitimacy of the European Union, the European Parliament should be more empowered.

Keywords

democracy, legitimacy, democratic deficit, European values, Article 7 TEU, Hungary, rule of law backsliding

Language used: English

Date on which the thesis was submitted / produced: 1. 8. 2021

Thesis defence

• Supervisor: Gökhan Bacik, Ph.D.

Palacký University Olomouc

Faculty of Arts

Master programme / field:
Humanities / Euroculture