10 - The European Republic

Summary

The books concludes by evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of the theoretical argument in light of the qualitative, experimental, and quantitative evidence. The chapter provides a discussion of the results in the context of the European Union, but also discusses the contributions of the findings in the broader context of comparative politics and international relations. While the conclusion provides a synthesis of the different parts of the book, and also discusses its relevance in a broader setting, the central theme focuses on its implications for the EU's current legitimacy crisis. In particular, I discuss how responsive governance in the shadow of national elections affects the democratic legitimacy of the EU, and what my results can contribute to the answer on how to fix this crisis.