In France the parties that did well in the European elections campaigned on European issues. Does this mean that Europe will become more active transnationally? rien n’est moins sur.

Surveys show that young French voters did not participate in the poll. They perceive Europe as a space of liberty rather than as a political one. Studies from the French Politics Research Centre (Cevipof) say young French people do not know how to translate their feelings as Europeans into engaged citizenship.

According to Majid Sattar, the EU election results reflect a “double crisis”: the growing deficit of European democratic legitimacy and the decline of national “catch-all” parties…

EU democracy has been thought and organised as a competitive party democracy. It seems this feature is still needing engaged citizens, or maybe does it have to change?

Selected reviews for period leading up to the European elections

Despite the possibility for a popular election, it looks likely there will only be one candidate for the post of President in the new European Commission named next year –the incumbent Barroso. Why? The answer is a mix of spinelessness and myth.