Vi kan väl prata om det? - en studie av debatten i den svenska offentliga sfären gällande förslaget till ny EU-konstitution
LegitimacyEUPublic sphereDemocracyIdentity.Political and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
The breakdown of the ratification process of the EU constitution was in Sweden blamed on a lack of a debate concerning European issues. The constitution can be seen as the best and latest, but in no way the only, example of this problem. The breakdown can also been seen as proof of a larger legitimacy crises within the EU. The aim of the study is to determine whether or not there really was of lack of debate concerning the constitution in Sweden. This question is theoretic¬ally connected to EU legitimacy through Habermas idea of a public sphere. This connection works through two dimensions, one of democracy and one of identity. The public sphere functions both as a channel for information on political issues and as the mental space where the political unit is recreated through political, as well as everyday discourse. The study looks at the debate in the Swedish Parliament and two Swedish newspapers. It is argued that there is a lack of debate in the Swedish Parliament. Also, even though the issue occurred quite frequently in one of the newspapers studied, some aspects of the way it was reported on suggest that this in itself can be seen as part of the explanation to the EU legitimacy crises. Another large problem is the absence of a larger, single European public sphere. As long as one is missing, and as long as the national parliaments and media fail to debate on EU related issues in a way that strengthens EU legitimacy, the union will be questioned by its citizens.