Is the EU a real democracy?

Here is a page from the UN website on what democracy is.

Here is a BBC piece on the three main European Institutions.  It aired before the Lisbon Treaty.

Here is a page from the Commission website on improving transparency and democracy in the EU after the Lisbon Treaty.

Here is a webpage with a call for more democracy in the EU.

For those of you who have the time to watch it, here is a documentary on the role of lobbyists in Brussels.

Moreover, here is you can find a Eurobarometer survey on the perception of the EU by citizens. Thank you F!

We can start the session by defining what democracy is. Then, we can talk about the power dynamic among the three main institutions.  Afterwards, we can discuss the apparent disconnect between the average European citizen and the EI. Finally, we can talk about the role of the lobbyists in the legislative process in Brussels, i.e., of course if we have enough time.