In my thesis, I examine the extent to which the New Modes of Governance (NMG), which involve non-hierarchical, more inclusive and cooperative governance approaches, contribute to the enhancement of the EU's democratic legitimacy. This thesis seeks to identify how the legitimacy criteria and the dimensions of a liberal democracy apply to the EU's multilevel system of governance. Specifically, my examination focuses on the EU’s regional policy, which stands as a prime example of EU’s multilevel system of governance, and is a policy field where the NMG currently apply. Through a comparative examination of regional policy in four member states -Austria, Denmark, Italy, Poland- I intend to characterise the NMG's influence on the EU’s democratic legitimacy.
