ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the democratic legitimacy of governance networks. Before doing so, this chapter addresses different models of democracy. Representative democracy, participative democracy, and deliberative democracy each present a different source of democratic legitimacy: political primacy, voice, and due deliberation. The question is: How do these sources of democratic legitimacy apply to governance networks? To assess the democratic legitimacy of governance networks, we present five criteria in relation to such networks: 1) the role of politicians and elected officials, 2) the participation of various stakeholders, 3) the quality of democratic and deliberative processes, 4) the outcomes, 5) the accountability mechanisms. Accountability in networks does not consist only of democratic accountability, but might also include other forms of accountability. As many actors are responsible for a network’s eventual outcomes and many different accountability mechanisms are at play simultaneously, accountability may become blurred. Together, the five criteria assess how the different sources of legitimacy enhance a network’s democratic legitimacy.
