A REDIRECT research paper by Paolo Marzi was presented at the 13th Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union (SGEU), hosted by the University of Catania, Italy. The conference provided an opportunity for scholars to exchange new research on European integration, democratic representation and the challenges currently facing the European Union.
The presentation, titled “Elite-Led European Integration or Asymmetric Representation? The Double-Sided Mass–Elite Gap in the EU (1979–2025)”, examined the evolving relationship between citizens and political elites on European integration over time. Drawing on a long-term comparative perspective, the paper explored whether European integration has been primarily shaped by elite leadership, or whether patterns of representation reveal more complex and asymmetric forms of mass–elite disconnect.
The study contributed to REDIRECT’s broader research on democratic representation, citizen–elite congruence and the transformation of political responsiveness in Europe. By focusing on the double-sided nature of the mass–elite gap, the paper offered new insights into how citizens and representatives have aligned, diverged and interacted in relation to the European project.
Date: 1–3 July 2026
Location: Catania, Italy
Conference: 13th Biennial Conference of the ECPR Standing Group on the European Union
Panel: Representation in the European Union under Pressure: Elites, Citizens, and the Democratic Disconnect
Presenter: Paolo Marzi, Università degli Studi di Siena
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