Can we imagine referendums at European level, and under what conditions?

Should referendums be introduced into the European political system? This question deserves to be asked while the Convention continues its work, particularly in view of a future new Constitutional Treaty. If we want to bring the European institutions closer to the citizens, we need to discuss the relevance of referendums as a tool for political participation. Today, political accountability within the Union is primarily indirect, since it remains largely in the hands of national governments. The same is true of citizens’ influence, which is equally indirect, since it is exercised primarily through organised interests (NGOs and civil society associations).

The recent draft Constitutional Treaty presented by Valéry Giscard d’Estaing does not change this, since ‘participatory democracy’ is limited (Article 34) to the fact that ‘the institutions shall ensure a high level of transparency allowing the various forms of association of citizens to participate in the life of the Union’. Admittedly, progress has been made in terms of European citizenship, notably the right to vote and stand for election at local and European level, the right of petition and the institution of the Ombudsman. However, the means available to citizens to make their voices heard at European level are still too limited, as was pointed out in the Laeken Declaration.