The Social Legitimacy of EU
governance
Identity workhop
26 May 2010
Izmir University of Economics
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
The Social Legitimacy of EU
governance
1. Social Legitimacy as precondition
and result of EU governance
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
The liberal democratic criteria of
legitimate governance
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Social-legitimacy: agreement on
political identity
Input-legitimacy: popular
authorisation and accountability of
public officials
Output-legitimacy: effective
performance (problem solving)
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Social legitimacy as precondition
of governance
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The principle of popular sovereignty
presuppose that the question of who
constitutes the people has been settled
to mutual agreement
Majority decision making requires
sufficient trust between citizens to accept
that being outvoted does not constitute a
threat to their essential interests
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
How much “we-feeling” is
necessary for the EU (1)

Federalists: European identity exists
because of common historical stages
of society

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Christianity, Renaissance, Enlightenment,
industrialisation
Common founding goal of the EU: avoid
repetition of war
Common enterprise: ever closer union as
concept to master the globalisation
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
How much „we-feeling“ is
necessary for the EU? (2)

Neofunctionalists: transnational
political identities could spill over
from one elite to another before
embracing a wider public

Haas 1958: organised political actors
would be gradually persuaded to shift
their loyalities and expectations
towards a new centre
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
How much “we-feeling” is
necessary for the EU? (2)

Intergovernmentalists: assume
that political identities would and
should remain national

Moravcsik: preferences continue to be
formed at the national level
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Contra-arguments against an
European identity

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Union is not territorially bounded –
citizens do not know with whom they
form a political solidarity
No ethnic affiliation
Strong national identity avoids the
creations of an European identity –
nations remains the dominant arena for
political socialisation
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
My Assessment: EU does not need the same
strong identity as on nation state level

non-state political system

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No monopoly of violence
No right to dig deep into the taxpayers
pocket
But „thin” European identity is needed


European public forum of shared
communication
Acceptance of majority decisions
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
How an European identity can be
formed?
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Performance: utititarian and affective
support
Use of symbols (flag)
Construction of insider-outsider
relationships (passport and citizen rights)
Participation (election to the EP)
Everyday objects (single currency)
– Scharpf: “Just as playing together can create
teams, living under a common government and
participating in common political processes can
create political identities”
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Identity can be constructed around civic
values instead of ethno-cultural attributes
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Habermas: Solidarities will need to shift
away from exclusive ethno-cultural
constructs as societies become more
multicultural
National loyalties (ethno-centered) and
European loyalties (civic-centered) can
co-exist
Civic elements: EU as political project to
fulfill goals which cannot be reached at
the national level
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Empirical analysis: Does an
European identity exist?

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Many citizens have a multi-tiered sense of
belonging
Multiple tiers of identity tend to be
cumulative rather than contradictory
Trust to other nationalities has grown
from 1.55 to 1.75 (scale 0-3) between
1976-90, compared to a steady level of
2.25 between members of the same
national community (Eurobarometer)
Existence of European identity differs
between the member states
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
The Social Legitimacy of EU
governance
2. The Constitutional Debate:
Intergovernmental vs. Supranational
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Degree of European identity shapes the
proposals for appropriate EU governance

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Strong European identity – far
reaching supranational policies
possible
Weak sense of European
identity – limited space for
supranational policies
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Constitutional Debate: Executive Commission vs. European Council

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Permanent European Council
President: just a question of efficiency or
a power shift towards the member states?
Election of the Commission President:
a politisation of the Commission?
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Constitutional Debate:
EP as co-legislator
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UK, France: Distinction between
compulsory and non-compulsory
expenditures should remain
Controversy about the principle
‘QMV in Council = Codecision in the
EP’
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Constitutional Debate: Involvement of
NP at the European level

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German Foreign Minister: EP has
not enough legitimacy
Demand for an institutional
representation of NP via a second
chamber
Demand for a Congress of national
parliaments to monitor the principle
of subsidiarity
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics
Conclusion

Social legitimacy of EU governance
influenced by:
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National identities
Elite Discourse
Participation/Public Debate
Performance of EU governance
Ass. Prof Dr. Alexander Bürgin
Izmir University of Economics