Constitutional analysis: The power index approach

A power index approach to the EU institutions gives a new perspective upon the EU institutions and their future reform. Using a standard power measure , the Banzhaf index, we show that in a group of states as the EU council, t he voting power of a member state is equal to twice the individual power to block multiplied by the group's collective power to change. Political powe r of the member states is calculated under alternative constitutional rules for the EU, where cooperative game theory allows the derivation of power e quivalences. We suggest that simple majority should be used more often in t he EU council.