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‘Democracy without Politics’ in the European Commission's Response to Democratic Backsliding: From Technocratic Legalism to Democratic Pluralism

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  • Alvaro Oleart
  • Tom Theuns

Abstract

The debate on EU responses to democratic backsliding in EU member states has mostly been anchored on technocratic appeals to the rule of law and judicial independence, and on Poland and Hungary. In this article, we ask: What understandings of democracy have shaped the European Commission's response to democratic backsliding in recent years? After developing an understanding of pluralist democracy, we uncover the way in which the European Commission conceives of democracy through a discourse analysis of European Commissioners' speeches (2018–21) and a normative‐theoretical analysis. We identify the Commission's conception as a form of ‘democracy without politics’, and argue that it matches the EU's policy choices in regard to democratic backsliding. We argue that a fuller, healthier and normatively more attractive conception of democracy encompasses more attention to political pluralism, agonistic contestation and the vibrancy of civil society.

Suggested Citation

  • Alvaro Oleart & Tom Theuns, 2023. "‘Democracy without Politics’ in the European Commission's Response to Democratic Backsliding: From Technocratic Legalism to Democratic Pluralism," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 61(4), pages 882-899, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:61:y:2023:i:4:p:882-899
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.13411
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jenny Fairbrass, 2011. "Exploring Corporate Social Responsibility Policy in the European Union: A Discursive Institutionalist Analysis," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(5), pages 949-970, September.
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    3. Sonja Priebus, 2022. "The Commission's Approach to Rule of Law Backsliding: Managing Instead of Enforcing Democratic Values?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 60(6), pages 1684-1700, November.
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