European Democracy and Public Sphere

Prof. Dr. Stefan Kadelbach LL.M.; Prof. Dr. Dr. Rainer Hofmann

doi:10.5771/9783748967620

Summary

Signs of a deterioration of democratic culture can be observed in several EU member states. The Walter Hallstein Colloquium, held in March 2024 at Goethe University Frankfurt, addressed “European Democracy and the Public Sphere” in light of the 2024 European Parliament elections. The interdisciplinary symposium brought together experts from European law, history, and politics to explore the relationship between political discourse and constitutional values and principles such as democracy, rule of law and citizens’ rights. Contributors include Niall Bond, Sven Simon, Kriszta Kovács, Irena Lipowicz, Emilio Castorina and Skirgailė Žalimienė.
With contributions by Dr. Niall Bond | Prof. Dr. Emilio Castorina | Prof. Dr. Dr. Rainer Hofmann | Prof. Dr. Stefan Kadelbach, LL.M. | Kriszta Kovács, PhD (habil.) | Prof. Dr. Irena Lipowicz | Prof. Dr. Sven Simon | Prof. Dr. Skirgaile Žalimienė

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Bibliographic data

Edition: 1/2026
Copyright Year: 2026
ISBN-Print: 978-3-7560-3607-3
ISBN-Online: 978-3-7489-6762-0
Publisher: Nomos, Baden-Baden
Series: Schriften zur Europäischen Integration und Internationalen Wirtschaftsordnung
Volume: 74
Language: English
Pages: 122
Product Type: Edited Book

1. Preface No access
Authors:
1. A. Threats to Democracy in Europe No access
2. B. The Framework of the Treaties No access
3. C. Approaches to the topic No access
Authors:
1. A. Introduction No access
2. B. The meaning of the European Community No access
3. C. Consequences for a European normative political order No access
4. D. Democracy without a demos No access
Authors:
1. A. Introduction No access
2. 1. I. Ontological dissatisfaction No access
  2. II. Cultural dissatisfaction No access
3. C. Digitalization as a driving force for the authoritarian backlash No access
4. D. The impact of the authoritarian backlash on the institutions No access
5. E. Local resistance No access
6. F. What needs to be done No access
Authors:
1. A. Introduction No access
2. B. The Concepts of Constitutional and National Identity in Positive Law No access
3. C. Varied Judicial Understandings of Identity No access
4. D. An Example: Human Dignity as an Element of Constitutional Identity No access
5. E. The Role of the ECJ: Differentiating Between Valid and Invalid Forms of National Identity Claims No access
6. F. A Possible Way Forward No access
7. G. Concluding Remarks No access
Authors:
1. A. Introduction No access
2. 1. I. The Rule of Law and Human Rights No access
  2. II. The Rule of Law as a Practical Concept: international courts’ approach No access
  3. III. The Rule of Law as a Fundamental and Binding Value within Europe No access
  4. IV. The Relationship between the Rule of Law and Human Rights No access
3. 1. I. International Human Rights Standards in Lithuania No access
  2. II. Definition of the Rule of Law from a Lithuanian Perspective No access
  3. III. The Right to an Effective Judicial Remedy as an Essential Requirement of the Rule of Law No access
  4. IV. The Right to Privacy and the Rule of Law No access
4. D. Coclusions No access
Authors:
1. A. Setting the scene: supranational democracy in Europe No access
2. B. Criticism of the European model of democracy No access
3. 1. I. National fragmentation of political discourse No access
  2. II. Lack of an inner-parliamentary public No access
  3. III. Different national traditions of a free mandate No access
  4. IV. Distorting powers of the rapporteur No access
  5. V. Non-representative composition of committees No access
  6. VI. Inadequate responsiveness of European lawmaking No access
  7. VII. Cumbersome amending of EU law No access
4. D. Conclusions No access
Authors:
1. A. European citizenship as the fundamental status of Member States’ citizens in the “community of law” No access
2. B. Its “independent structure” with respect to national citizenships No access
3. C. The health crisis and the economic crisis: a contradictory trend in European citizenship No access
4. D. The Coronavirus pandemic and the “opening” of the Union towards a European system of multilevel solidarity No access
5. E. The economic conditionality clause and the “rupture” of the legal status of European citizenship No access
6. F. From the “ecological crisis” to a relaunch of European citizenship? No access
Authors No access Pages 121 - 122