[isilofi]

The EU isn't democratic in that basically every official function is only through multiple indirections dependent on the voters. So the will of the people and the sovereignty of the voters is diluted through a multitude of political backroom deals that are anything but democratic. Just look at how von der Leyen came to her job.

Back in the day, when there was still a communist bloc, this kind of system, a "soviet republic" consisting of a hierarchy of workers councils was the usual example for how you can have elections but not have democracy. Because the hierarchy of councils will dilute any kind of will and sovereignty of the people into the will of the political upper class.