On behalf of the voter: the EU and election integrity

Electoral integrity is imperative in order to ensure the legitimacy of elections (Norris, 2014; Norris, P. & Grömping, M. 2019). Furthermore, electoral integrity is also essential for enabling the institutions that derive from elections to be supported by the citizenry. In recent years, the integrity of the electoral process has emerged as a significant focal point in electoral behaviour studies, with empirical research establishing a correlation between electoral integrity and the overall level of voter turnout (Fortin-Rittberger et al., 2017; Martinez i Coma, F. & Trinh, M., 2017; Addeo et al., 2024). In light of this novel context and with a view to fostering electoral participation in the forthcoming EU elections, European institutions are committed to "saving the elections" (Sampugnaro & Trenz, 2024) through a multifaceted, multi-level strategy that also entails a comprehensive rethinking of the concept of election integrity. The Commission's documents underscore the salient points of the novel approa