In recent years, we have witnessed the highest level of integration between sovereign states and, at the same time, a critical sharp increase in support for opposing them. The thesis explores, among other things, the reasons for this opposition and presents those who embody these movements. It explains the connection between the two headline terms: populism (mainly far-right) and Euroscepticism; and how two political movements influence EU institutions and policies.
By presenting and criticizing liberal democracy, the research assesses how this model can (if at all) be compatible with the multi-layered structure of the EU, or how such a structure can function according to the principles of the aforementioned political system. We will find the answers to the questions posed by analyzing the existing literature on this topic. A practical example, namely the Brexit case study, will also contribute to the understanding of modern populism. At the end of the thesis, we conclude that the EU is not the democratic structure it likes to be and that many shortcomings should be eliminated to be at least closer to the democratic ideal.
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