Madariaga - College of Europe Foundation

The Citizen's Controversies series of lunchtime debates seek to address one of Europe’s most vital tasks: rekindling the citizen’s interest in EU matters. Much has been said about the ‘democratic deficit’, which is now felt to seriously hamper EU progress.  This deficit, however, does not stem from undemocratic EU institutions, but from a lack of citizen participation in EU democratic life. Less an institutional deficit, therefore, than a citizenship deficit. In the run-up to the 2009 European Parliamentary elections, the Citizen's Controversies strive to encourage citizens’ ownership of the pan-European political debate by securing fair and contrasting views on fundamental EU issues. Each debate confronts the ideas of two speakers on a given topic to point out options and trade-offs and highlight the political stakes present in each necessary compromise. The objective, in sum, is to enhance the perception of a ‘European common good’, which is more than the sum of national interests.