The rise of post-national democracy: Macron, Brexit and the electoral reform of the European Parliament

May 17, 2017
Andrew Duff
Academic Fellow
Emmanuel Macron is the first European leader to be elected on a platform that embraces the electoral reform of the European Parliament. He is convinced that, in order to change the Union, the EP needs greater legitimacy, and that such legitimacy will only come if the relationship between the Parliament and the electorate gets to be closer and more direct. In this Discussion Paper, Andrew Duff examines the likelihood of electoral reform of the Parliament, and whether or not the circumstances today are right to introduce a transnational list on the ballot in time for the European elections of May 2019. Many electors in the polling stations would be amazed; some would be confounded; but most would enjoy their first material prize from the privilege they enjoy as European Union citizens. European democracy would be refreshed. Mr Macron would have delivered.

Read the full paper here

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