Practices of Interparliamentary Coordination in International Politics: The European Union and Beyond [Paperback]

This volume provides a thorough empirical examination of how an internationalising context drives parliamentarians to engage in inter-parliamentary coordination; how it affects their power positions vis-?-vis executive actors; among themselves; and in society in general.Parliaments risk becoming the main losers of internationalisation; a process that privileges executives and experts. Still, parliamentarians have developed a range of responses to catch up with international decision-making: they coordinate their actions with other parliamentarians; engage in international parliamentary forums; and some even opt to pursue political careers at the supranational level, such as in the European Parliament. This volume provides a thorough empirical examination of how an internationalising context drives parliamentarians to engage in inter-parliamentary coordination; how it affects their power positions vis-?-vis executive actors; among themselves; and in society in general. Furthermore, building upon these empirical insights, the book assesses whether parliamentary democracy can remain sustainable under these changing conditions. Indeed, if parliaments are, and remain, central to our understanding of modern democracy, it is of crucial importance to track their responses to internationalisation, the fragmentation of political sovereignty, and the proliferation of multilevel politics.contentsList of Figures and Tables viiList of Abbreviations ixContributors xiiiAcknowledgements xviiChapter One: Practices of Interparliamentary Coordination inInternational Politics: The European Union and BeyondBen Crum and John Erik Fossum 1Part I. National Scrutiny Mechanisms in the EUChapter Two: Learning from the Best? Interparliamentary Networksand the Parliamentary Scrutiny of EU Decision-MakingAron Buzog?ny 17Chapter Three: Cooperation among National Parliaments: An EffectiveContribution to EU Legitimation?Viera Knutelsk? 33Chapter Four: Deliberation in the Multilevel Parliamentary Fieló&