Beyond territorial representation - The modes of representation in the European Union

Growing Euroscepticism and dissatisfaction with democracy at the EU level have been linked to a perceived lack of adequate representation among certain segments of society. Yet, the role political elites see for themselves in representing citizens within the EU and who is perceived to be European by elites remains underexplored. Existing literature has primarily emphasized territorial representation as the dominant mode of representation in EU politics. In this paper, I argue that political elites in the EU seek not only to represent citizens as a unified whole but also to advocate for distinct social groups across and within European societies, reflecting deeper cleavages. Moreover, I propose that elites do not merely respond to public opinion but actively contribute to shaping it by connecting policies to group identities and interests. These findings challenge the conventional understanding of elite responsiveness, suggesting that elite conceptions of representation are more nuanced and multifaceted than previously thought. Drawing on interviews with EU political elites and computational text analysis of EU parliamentary discourse, this study compares elites' stated intentions of representation with their actual discursive practices. The results provide new insights into how political elites address growing Euroscepticism and disengagement, which stem from perceived failures of representation at the EU level.