It is often said that there is a disconnect between EU voters and political elites, whether it be with respect to the idea of European integration in general, the specific objectives of European integration, the steps to be taken to achieve those objectives, the institutions that are to take those steps, or merely the understanding of these various aspects of European integration.

The purpose of this one-day workshop is to study public opinion in the EU and the way it is represented in the principal EU institutions. The workshop will focus on such issues as the representation of the poor, referendums, voting in the European Parliament, the Commission appointment process, the European Court of Justice’s political constraints, and the implementation of EU laws and legislative politics at the member state level.