Introduction

Abstract

The European Union (EU) may be considered a supranational democratic model of economic and political governance. However, as the process of European integration has evolved, the institutional framework and normative dynamics have become complex and heterogeneous. The lack of political visibility and citizen involvement has increasingly widened the gap between the EU and the peoples of its Member States, who should one day shape the European demos. How can the project for a European political union be sustainable without citizens supporting it and giving it legitimacy? This book analyzes the existing and potential future mechanisms that may contribute to building a European demos, while assessing the contribution that the EU may make to global governance by expanding a credible democratic model to other international actors.