But in practice it is often the case that governments claim little ownership over this process, diverting responsibility for the outcome to the Commission. Yet at the same time the Commission has limited powers in this domain. With effective European institutions, however, it is possible to make a more direct link between decisions and responsibility.
Precisely because those institutions are invested with defined powers, citizens can hold them accountable against their mandate. And in fact, strengthening these channels of democratic participation is vital for the euro area today. It is exactly the impression that there is too little accountability in Europe that populist parties often exploit.