Trasformazione e sviluppo dei processi di partecipazione democratica nell'Unione europea

Since the Lisbon Treaty, although much progress has been made toward greater participation of European citizens in the supranational political process, the inability of European citizens to influence decision-making processes has likewise emerged. Clearly, the tools of participatory democracy are not an absolute remedy to the many challenges facing the Union, yet democratic governance can play a key role in achieving a broader democratic balance and equip itself with innovative tools that can be new blood toward the custodianship of our democratic way of life. The aim of this thesis is to propose some reflections on the innovative processes of democratic participation derived from the Conference on the Future of Europe, also in view of the new 'digital spaces' put in place by the European institutions. The analysis presented will involve the thorny questions related to the success or failure of the Conference event, in order to understand whether and to what extent it was a failure in terms of its usefulness, the way it was carried out and its intended purposes, or whether it was a real 'breakthrough' opportunity in terms of democratic participation. The results that will emerge from the research will allow for an assessment of the implications that, during the Conference on the Future of Europe, will contribute to the elaboration of the possible revision of the Treaties expected after the last European Parliament elections in June 2024 and after the European Commission takes office.