Democratic deficit in the European Union

The concept of a democratic deficit within the European Union is the notion that the governance of the European Union (EU) lacks democratic legitimacy. The term was initially used to criticise the transfer of legislative powers from national governments to the Council of (national government) Ministers of the EU.

This led to an elected European Parliament being created in 1979 and given the power to approve or reject EU legislation. Since then, usage of the term has broadened to describe newer issues facing the European Union. However voter turnout has fallen consecutively at the seven elections since the first election in 1979 and voter turnout in the 2014 election stood at 42.54% of all European voters. This is the lowest of any national election in the 27 countries of the European Union where turnout at national elections averages 68% across the EU.

Opinions differ as to whether the EU has a democratic deficit or how it should be remedied if it exists.Pro-Europeans (i.e. those in favour of the EU) argue that the European Union should reform its institutions to make them more accountable, while Eurosceptics argue that the EU should reduce its powers and often campaign for withdrawal from the EU.

The phrase democratic deficit is cited as having first been used in 1977 by the Young European Federalists in their Manifesto, which was drafted by Richard Corbett. In 1979 it was used by David Marquand in reference to the then European Economic Community, the forerunner of the European Union. He argued that the European Parliament (then the Assembly) suffered from a democratic deficit as it was not directly elected by the citizens of the Community. 'Democratic deficit', in relation to the European Union, refers to a perceived lack of accessibility to the ordinary citizen, or lack of representation of the ordinary citizen, and lack of accountability of European Union institutions.

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