The Mechanics of Representation and the Autonomy of Parliament: Proposals for the Reinforcement of the Representative Body

The Mechanics of Representation and the Autonomy of Parliament:
Proposals for the Reinforcement of the Representative Body

George Karavokyris

Assistant Professor of Constitutional Law, Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

Charalampos Kouroundis

PhD, Post-doctoral Researcher, Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
 

Styliani Christoforidou

PhD, Law School of National and Kapodistrian University of Athens

Lina Papadopoulou

Associate Professor of Constitutional Law, Law School of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki

The study aims to highlight, in the specific context of a modern Greece still suffering the effects of a prolonged financial crisis, the tension between democracy and representation; furthermore, the study critically describes and evaluates the institutional role of parliament within the contemporary system of the separation of powers. The analysis focuses on the constitutional mechanics of the principle of representation and its relation to the democratic deficit that has gotten worse during the financial crisis. The theory of representation will be the conceptual prism through which the study analyzes the institutional impact of the financial crisis on the functioning of democracy. Given the fact that the legal narrative of the financial crisis has not ended, the study aims to contribute to this debate.

* This essay is the outcome of research supervised by Assoc. Prof. Lina Papadopoulou, which has been co-financed by the Operational Program “Human Resources Development, Education and Lifelong Learning 2014-2020” (more specifically by the European Union, i.e. European Social Fund, and Greek national funds). This research is funded in the context of the project “The representation and the autonomy of Parliament: proposals for the enhancing of the role of Parliament” (MIS 5004478) under the call for proposals “Supporting researchers with emphasis on new researchers” (EDULLL 34).