The Attitude of PES and SD Towards the Democratic Deficit of the EU

Vprašanje demokratičnega deficita sodi med pomembnejša in bolj kontroverzna vprašanja, s katerimi se sooča EU. Do naslavljanja in obravnave tega vprašanja ni izoblikovanega enotnega stališča niti znotraj akademskih niti znotraj političnih krogov. V tej magistrski nalogi je prikazan odnos PES in SD do demokratičnega deficita EU. Analizo sekundarnih virov, ki osvetljujejo znanstvene razprave o demokratičnem deficitu, dopolnjujejo analiza primarnih virov (programski dokumenti PES in SD) ter poglobljeni intervjuji z izbranimi člani vodstva SD. V nalogi ugotavljam, da se PES in SD zavedata izziva demokratičnega deficita EU in si aktivno prizadevata za njegovo odpravo ter da enako velja za deležnike odločevalce, ki so sodelovali v raziskavi. Naloga pokaže, da obstaja zavedanje o problemu, jasen je cilj, neusklajenost pa nastopi pri odločitvi o tem, s katerimi sredstvi/ukrepi do cilja.The issue of the democratic deficit of the EU is one of the most prominent challenges of the EU. There is no unified understanding of the problem in question, either amongst scientists or amongst decision makers. In this Master’s thesis, I illustrate how PES and SD understand the democratic deficit of the EU. I do so on the basis of the analysis of primary and secondary sources and of 5 interviews with various members of the leadership of SD. In conclusion I argue that PES, SD, and selected members of the leadership recognise the challenge of the democratic deficit, regularly include it on their political agenda, but lack the agreement on how to address the democratic deficit of the E