Europeizacja jako czynnik warunkujący inkorporację referendum do systemu politycznego Wielkiej Brytanii

Abstrakt

Europeanization as a factor conditioning the incorporation of referendum into the political system of Great Britain

The aim of the present analysis is to show the influence of the process of European integration on that of including the institution of referendum in the framework of the political system of Great Britain. In the following paper, I put forward and prove the truthfulness of the following two theses:
1 The problematic nature of the institution of referendum in Great Britain results from the overlap of three dilemmas which are revealed in the relations: a democracy and referendum; b European integration and referendum; c the specific character of the British democracy and referendum. 2 Incorporation of the institution of referendum into the framework of the political system of Great
Britain has occurred, to a large extent, under the influence of the processes of European integration Europeanization. Introducing the institution of referendum into the practice of the sociopolitical system of Great Britain, commenced at the time of 1975 referendum, seems to be nearly completed at present. In the institutional dimension, the passing of the Bill on political parties, elections and referenda of 2000 should be regarded as the crowning of the process, while – as far as the political dimension is concerned – such a point should be seen in the “referendum debate” concerning the European constitution/Lisbon Treaty.