Transnational Partisanship and Constituent Power in the European Union

Abstract

Recent political theory shows an increasing interest in partisanship and constituent power. In particular, research has inquired into the meaning of these categories in transnational contexts such as the European Union. While the partisanship literature focuses on the potential of cross-border communities of commitment to advance the development of EU democracy, the debate about constituent power is mainly concerned with the question of who should be regarded as the EU’s ultimate source of authority entitled to decide issues of constitutional design. While addressing related phenomena and raising similar questions, the two strands of research have largely developed independently. This panel seeks to bring them into conversation and to examine possible connections as well as conflicts between transnational partisanship and constituent power. Are they complementary or rival categories? What is their potential contribution to EU democracy? To what extent do they enable us to analyze and evaluate empirical developments, for example the origins of European integration, recent movements and initiatives such as DiEM25 and Pulse of Europe, the advent of ‘emergency rule’ during the euro crisis, or the representative functions of EU institutions?

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