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Abstract

European integration has come to constrain the capacity for democratic political action in EU member states through the judicial constitutionalization of “economic liberties”. At the same time, the capacity for effective political action at the European level is narrowly constrained by the multiple-veto character of the Union’s “ordinary legislative procedure” - which is considered essential for preserving the legitimacy of European government in the absence of a politically integrated European polity. The article explores conditions under which democratic governing capacity could be legitimately increased on both levels.