Politicisation and the “crisis” of democracy in the EU

It is commonplace to talk about the recurring crises in the EU, referring to the prevailing understanding that, since the ratification of the Maastricht Treaty, the European integration has become ‘constrained’ by dissensus, polarisation and controversies. The aim here is to address the "crisis" rhetoric in the context of the Future of Europe debates on EU multi-level politics, democracy and the role of the European Parliament. In this paper, we will position our contribution in and beyond the recently published the edited volume Tracing the Politicisation in the EU: The Future of Europe Debates Before and After the 2019 Elections (Palgrave Macmillan, 2022) which provides a conceptual and politically-aware approach to the phenomenon. Discussing politicisation from conceptual perspective, the paper addresses both methodological insights and the policy-shaping effects of the politicisation discourse in the EU context.