Tasks for a critical theory of democracy in Europe

This paper addresses the current challenges to European democracies. It argues for the need to devise a critical theory of democracy in Europe and spells out some of the tasks it must bring to fruition. In a first section, a methodological issue is addressed, as it is argued that this specific strand of critical theory must be her- meneutical, in order to address actually existing societies and aim to understand the motives of social actors themselves. Then, it makes a diagnosis on the current state of affairs of the challenges facing democracy in Europe, from the social problems caused by decades of neoliberalism to the current authoritarian menaces. Against that backdrop, it puts forward seven tasks at the levels of theory, and of the political and social arrangements that are needed in order to be up to these challenges and renew European democracies.