Exploring the European Union's 'democratic deficit, ' this book traces the halting development of parliamentary democracy at the European level. Arguing that the key actor in this crucial process is the European Parliament, the contributors concentrate on two of the classic functions of a parliament: the legislative and the representative. The contributors analyze the ongoing tensions between party orientations and national loyalties, between national parties and European party groups, and between representatives at the national and regional level

Chapter 1 Introduction Part 2 Representation Chapter 3 Parties and Voters: The Feasibility of a European System of Political Representation Chapter 4 Can the Circle Be Squared? Political Representation and Political Integration in Europe Chapter 5 Transnational Trends: The Evolution of the European Party System Part 6 Members and Parties Chapter 7 Beneficial Cooperation or Mutual Ignorance? Contacts between MEPs and National Parties Chapter 8 Going Native? Institutional and Partisan Loyalty in the European Parliament Part 9 The Parliament as Legislator Chapter 10 When Words Matter: Informal Rules and the Enlargement Debate Chapter 11 Playing Different Games: The European Parliament and the Reform of Codecision Chapter 12 The European Parliament and Environmental Legislation

Edited by Bernard Steunenberg and Jacques Thomassen - Contributions by Stefanie Bailer; Luciano Bardi; Anastassios Kalandrakis; Tapio Raunio; Gerald Schneider; Roger Scully; George Tsebelis and Bernhard Wessels