Constitutional consciousness belongs not solely to the legal field, but also to other social sciences. It refers not only to constitutional and national identity but also to European identity, as the general principles of EU law derive from common constitutional traditions. Its low level results with difficulties in the proper reading of the legitimacy of power and with the recently widely discussed democratic deficit both in member states and in the EU itself. The publication addresses the issue of European integration and the common catalogue of values and human rights. The aim is to point out that increasing its level in society shall bring remedy for the democratic deficit in the EU and strengthen respect for fundamental rights. This thesis gives the publication an innovative Character.

Constitutional consciousness belongs not solely to the legal field, but also to other social sciences. It refers not only to constitutional and national identity but also to European identity, as the general principles of EU law derive from common constitutional traditions. Its low level results with difficulties in the proper reading of the legitimacy of power and with the recently widely discussed democratic deficit both in member states and in the EU itself. The publication addresses the issue of European integration and the common catalogue of values and human rights. The aim is to point out that increasing its level in society shall bring remedy for the democratic deficit in the EU and strengthen respect for fundamental rights. This thesis gives the publication an innovative Character.