Abstract
In one of his speeches, Pat Cox, the President of the European Parliament said ‘Turnout across Europe [in 1999] was higher than in the last US Presidential Elections, and I do not hear people questioning the legitimacy of the presidency of the United States.'. Since 1979, indeed, the European Parliament has been the only pan-European, directly elected body. Its powers have increased with successive decisions of the European Court of Justice and amendments to the treaties that define the political life of the European Union. However, paradoxically, turnouts in European elections are worryingly low and democracy seems to be in trouble, considering the lack of public interest for the European Assembly. Democratic deficit concerning the European Parliament can be defined through three main elements. The first point is the feeling of a lack of representation by this institution since the Parliament seems to have less power than the Commission and the Council whereas it is the only body to be elected. Secondly, people are not aware of what happens within the European Parliament, nor do they know much about its competence.
