6 December 1992 – 9 February 2014 – 23 June 2016: three national referendums related to the European integration process, the first two in Switzerland, the third in the United Kingdom, with a hardly expected but unmistakably clear anti-European and anti-establishment outcome. The people have spoken, the matter is settled, governments have to abide. So goes the common understanding. In constitutional terms and in the theory of (direct) democracy, however, things may look different.

The United Kingdom 2016 referendum on membership of the European Union – challenges of pursuing the decision to withdraw – challenges for the UK constitution in commencing, executing, concluding, and legitimising EU withdrawal – domestic constitutional requirements for triggering Article 50 TEU – roles of UK government, UK Parliament, and devolved institutions in Brexit – a second referendum or a national general election on withdrawal terms – exiting the EU as a challenge of the UK’s political constitution – Brexit as exposing limitations of the UK’s current constitutional arrangements and architecture – Brexit as an unprecedented event and the centrality of politics – constitutional factors contributing to the outcome of the referendum – concerns about sovereignty and the (im)possibility of a national response – potential implications of the referendum for the UK and for the EU

Economic and financial crisis – Institutional response and constitutional changes in the area of economic governance – Relationship between the European Union and the member states – Interpretation – Two concepts elaborated by Michel Foucault – ‘Pastorship’ and ‘Discipline’ – The deep sense of the new techniques of government in this area – The role of the Court of Justice – The position of national judges.

Smouldering European debt crisis: overall public debt ratio as problem – Haircut as possible solution – Greece’s current creditors: public institutions (Member States and European Central Bank) – Insuring a sound budgetary policy as main goal of Article 125 TFEU – Consequences for a haircut by the Member States – The mandate of the European Central Bank and the prohibition of direct purchases of Member State bonds – Consequences for a haircut by the European Central Bank – Haircut as political question open for democratic debate