Constitutional Theater: From the Common Assembly to the European Parliament

Abstract

In this chapter, Krumrey charts the evolution from the Common Assembly to its successor organization, which, in a bold and unilateral move, renamed itself the European Parliament in 1958. Even though it had no decision-making powers, the European Parliament shaped the EC in often underappreciated ways. Because its symbolism offered a striking contrast to the functionalist nature of European integration, it helped to dramatize the EC’s promise of a united Europe. Specifically, the chapter focuses on the Common Assembly/European Parliament’s relationship with the Commission and the Council and argues that the parliamentary setting—and its attendant symbolism—enabled EC actors to enact a proto-constitutional order. Krumrey also discusses the history of the European flag, which crystallizes the complex relationship between the EC/EU, the idea of a united Europe, and broader postwar internationalism.