The proposed paper will address the issue of the repercussions of European integration for democratic practices in the member states by studying the growing indifference towards European integration process. Thereafter, it contributes to the study of the processes of acceptance and/or resistance towards European integration, as well as its possible politicization, whilst concentrating more specifically on the non-polarization of a large proportion of ordinary citizens on European issues. Thus, next to the rise in the resistance generally studied and know as “Euroscepticism”, one also records during the last decade a reinforcement of the indifference and indecision of ordinary citizens. However, if the non-polarization of a significant number of citizens is indeed an overwhelming phenomenon, it is largely understudied. This paper will explore this particular issue in order to assess whether this evolution in the post-Maastricht period indicates a transformation of democracy at the national level and if so how and in which direction? Using individual survey data, it will focuses on the reconstitution of democracy in Europe from a citizens’ perspective by focusing on one particular aspect : the indifference of ordinary citizens towards politics.
