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Whether the European Union lacks democratic legitimation is a longstanding debate. The project REGIOPARL analyses how far European regions can function as a cornerstone of democracy within the European Union and what the limits and potentials of a multi-level governance system based on regions are. A special focus is thereby set on regional actors and citizens which link the regional and the European level. One partner in a research network of universities and civil society organizations, the WZB unit examines conflict structures and political bargaining processes of regional equalization and investment policies within regions in a comparative manner.

The project explores how the economic and social disruptions in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic affect the digitization of work in the short and medium term. We ask whether the pandemic has served as a catalyst triggering a surge of investment in digital technologies. Five sets of issues are analysed by means of a mixed-method approach combining qualitative and quantitative investigations: