This text approaches the issue of strengthening the democratic legitimacy of international institutions from a comparative legal perspective. It argues that Articles 9 to 12 of the Treaty on European Union can help to conceptualize and develop the elements of such democratic legitimation. The core statement of this contribution is: A democratization of governance beyond the state, in particular in the sense of a better political inclusion of citizens in the exercise of public authority by international institutions, can well be theoretically conceived and practically realized.
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