In May 2019, European citizens will elect a new European Parliament (EP). This
Egmont paper discusses what is at stake in these elections, and how they are likely
to affect the EU’s search for a new direction in a context of crises, divisions and
Euroskeptical contestation. The paper identifies three important developments:
polarization on European integration, the erosion of ideational convergence at the
elite level and a shared desire to “deliver”, to get citizens back on board. These
factors pose constraints to supranationalism and to the European Parliament. Future
integration seems more likely to continue on the path of diversified new intergovernmentalism.
Such integration does not fix the EU’s democratic deficit, however. In
fact, it makes matters worse and can be expected to lead to more Euroskepticism.
Therefore, this paper recommends that national parliaments are involved in diversified
new intergovernmentalist decision-making in ways that avoid the deadlocks,
incrementalism and lack of concern for the EU’s common interest of pure intergovernmentalism.
In the long run, the process of European integration can only be
secured through political and democratic integration. This implies a validation of the
political role of the EP and its elections in the EU’s decision-making. Cosmetic adjustments
like the controversial “Spitzenkandidaten process” or the proposed (and
rejected) concept of a pan-European constituency will not suffice to achieve that
goal
