Why is differentiated integration in Europe a problem from a democratric point of view.

What is it about?

How is arbitrary rule – dominance – to be avoided when political differentiation is on the rise in the multilevel constellation that makes up the European Union? The EU is a power-wielding entity, which, due to its democratic deficits, is an instance of arbitrary rule, which differentiation only serves to exacerbate. This article discusses which political framework prevents dominance under conditions of asymmetric and complex interdependence, and economic integration in Europe. Under these conditions, the framework of international law is deficient, as the agreements with the associated non-members - the European Economic Area arrangement (EEA) and Switzerland - document. Another is the framework suggested by Jürgen Habermas, of a pouvoir constituant mixte. However, this framework also raises the danger of arbitrary rule, as there is a risk that the autonomy of citizens would be pre-empted by the sovereignty of their states. The article holds the framework of a regional cosmopolitan federation - a rights-based polity with a distinct territorial reach - as more promising.

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Why is it important?

This article assesses different proposals for how to avoid dominance, or arbitrary rule, in an increasingly differentiated Euopean Union. It assesses the different proposals strenght and weaknesses and suggests an alternative that arguable 'ensures unity in diversity' and avoids the problem of domiance.

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