Once I have established the meanings of democracy, democratic government and finally our understanding of the EU democratic deficit, I will show how such a deficit exists within the EU. The democratic deficit will be demonstrated by analysing the institutional set-up and consequential delegation of executive, legislative and regulatory powers within the EU. The essay will go on to question the meaning of the term ‘democratic deficit’, with particular reference to the negative implications of the word ‘deficit’, and how our understanding of this term effects whether a deficit exists at all.

Democracy, as a dictionary definition, ‘is government by the people in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised directly by them or by their elected agents under a free electoral system.’ An alternative definition is offered by Abraham Lincoln who describes a democratic government as a government “of the people, by the people, and for the peop

In conclusion, given our definition of a democratic deficit as ‘a lack in ability of European citizens to affect decisions made at a European level’, a democratic deficit only exists, if this is considered undesirable.

The European Commission can be viewed as the manifestation of euro-supranationalism, with responsibilities ranging from drafting and arbitrating in the legislative process to managing the EU budget. Yet despite its substantial, and increasing power, the Commission’s legitimacy as an accountable and democratically elected body is questionable at best. The College of Commissioners (the ‘core executive’ ), and the directorate-general, which make up the decision making body within the Commission, are not appointed by the people but by national government. One must therefore question the grounds by which appointments are made, and its effect on the proclamation of the EU Treaty that ‘The members of the Commission shall, in the general interests of the Community, be completely independent in the performance of their duties….’ Prodi, the Commission’s President, who verbalised the issue of ‘“European democracy and how it works, why it doesn’t work better and what its prospects are”’, ratifies the validity of the problem. Surely questioning why the Commission does not function effectively as a democratic or representative body is futile without addressing the issue of how the Commissioners legitimise their positions. The failings are ironic if we consider the five political principles that underpin the Commission's work on governance: openness, participation, accountability, effectiveness and coherence.

In summary, a combination of the EP’s lack of power and political clarity, results in the EP not reflecting the wishes of the people it represents, and consequently acting as a further contributor to the democratic deficit.

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