Publication

The Lisbon Treaty aimed to strengthen the role of national parliaments, but this raises the question of how this has proceeded in practice. This paper looks at the democratic credentials that provide the background to the treaty reform and how the variation among national models affects the new practice of upholding direct relations with the Union legislator. In conclusion, it is pointed out that the new prerogatives are not likely to make a great deal of difference without more structured cooperation among national parliaments.