The search to fix the EU's democratic deficit

The EU's democratic deficit - that gap between 'Brussels' and the citizens it governs - is the enduring issue of recent years.

It is the subject of numerous books, journals and academic studies. EU politicians are increasingly aware of it.

But acknowledging it and knowing what how to fix it are two different things. Efforts to date have failed.

The regular meetings of MEPs and MPs are lacklustre affairs. The citizens initiative - whereby a million signatures requires the Eu...