Working at home: MEPs day-to-day practice of political representation in their constituency

摘要: In early 2000s, Simon Hix and his colleagues declared EP constitutes a good laboratory to test theories hypotheses about legislative or party behavior. However, scholars mainly focused on roll-call votes analysis allowing them investigate voting behavior, coalitions formation as well activities in technical committees (Hix 2001; Hix, Noury Roland 2007; Kreppel Mammoudh Raunio 2003; McElroy 2006). this paper, we propose go further analyze MEPs behavior with new methodological approach mobilizing type of data. According Fenno (1978), argue that work Parliament should not be investigated without considering constituency work. Surprisingly, despite the institutionalization (the green weeks), only few studies micro-level linkages between citizens (Farrel Scully 2007). Mobilizing ethnographic data collected IMPLOC project (managed by Olivier Costa Jean-Benoit Pilet), purpose paper is concrete practice political representation through observation MEPs’ their constituency. This will scope, pitfalls reflect it based current representation. addition, investigating day-to-day contacts MEPs, offer perspective debate democratic deficit Clark Rohrschneider 2009) EU institutions (Moravcsik 2002; Rittberger 2003)