The Brexit referendum was famously won on a claim that the UK had insufficient control of its
own laws. Yet, we face issues larger than any single democracy: climate change, pandemics,
wars, banking crises. Surely we need international bodies to deal with those problems?
This new book in the European Union Series tackles either side of this debate, equipping
students with the key normative and sociological theories that they need to understand where
the EU derives its legitimacy from and what this means for the EU. This book discusses:
What right does the EU have to exercise political power?
Is the EU necessary for the proper democratic functioning of its members?
How does legitimacy shape the sustainability and institutional design of the Union?
Which is more justifiable: uniform or differentiated forms of European integration?
This book shows how the literature on political legitimacy can help us think more clearly
about the European Union. It develops new understanding of how the legitimacy of the
EU and its member state democracies might depend on one another. It shows how –
contrary to the Brexit mantra of regaining control - some kind of European Union may be
needed if citizens are to use their own national democracies to accord one another rights
and obligations and to control their own laws as equals
