The Republican Thrust of 70 Years of EU Law: Theorizing ‘A Union for Its Citizens’

Päivi Leino-Sandberg’s opening contribution to this special issue identifies deficits in the Commission’s book 70 Years of EU Law. This concluding contribution explores its promise, as expressed in its subtitle ‘A Union for Its Citizens’. ‘A Union for Its Citizens’ is underpinned by a republican thrust, which this contribution substantiates in four steps. The first develops a tailored concept of republicanism, with the second step presenting evidence for it in EU law. The third step deepens the thesis by demonstrating its compatibility with core republican tenets, while the final step outlines how to drive European republicanism forward, and, with it, European constitutionalism and federalism.