‘You Know, This Conference Has No Legitimacy’: Eurosceptic Contestation of the Conference on the Future of Europe

Amid the escalating contestation of European integration, the European Union (EU) endeavours participatory innovations to bridge the gap between EU institutions and citizens whilst addressing the challenges posed by Eurosceptic actors. This article builds on empowering dissensus, arguing that Eurosceptic contestation might strengthen EU integration by making EU issues a matter of discussion in the European public sphere. It expands its application beyond policy contestation to polity contestation. The article examines the Eurosceptic discourse surrounding the Conference on the Future of Europe (CoFoE), a pioneering deliberative attempt to bring citizens closer to EU institutions. Employing thematic analysis of various documents produced by Eurosceptic political groups, the article reveals two predominant themes through which these groups challenged the legitimacy of the CoFoE: manipulative governance and lack of representativity. These themes closely align with academic assessments and reinforce the Eurosceptic narrative of an ‘elite cartel’ governing the EU.