This edited book is the first of its kind to systematically address the intersection of e-democracy and European politics. It contributes to an improved understanding of the role that new media technologies play in European politics and the potential impact that Internet-based political participation processes may have on modern-day representative democracy in Europe. A unique, holistic approach is taken to examine e-democracy’s current state and prospects in Europe from three, partially overlapping and interlocking perspectives: e-public, e-participation and e-voting. The authors provide both theory-inspired reflections on e-democracy’s contribution to the formation of the European public sphere, as well as rich empirical analyses of contemporary e-participation phenomena such as the European Citizens’ Initiative or e-voting practices in Estonia. Based on the presented findings, the concluding chapter combines a prospective outlook with recommendations for future paths towards meaningful integration of e-democracy in European politics and governance.

First academic book in the field of e-democracy and e-participation with a specific focus on European politics and institutions Brings together three core dimensions of e-democracy (e-public, e-participation and e-voting) and discusses their theoretical and practical implications Provides a concise overview of the main currents of the contemporary academic debate on internet and democracy Develops valuable policy recommendations for leaders in European politics and institutions Includes supplementary material: sn.pub/extras