Which is more democratic?

The following email was sent by me to Ms Monica Frassoni (pictured left), an Italian politician and Italian Green Party representative, who is also co-chair of the European Greens-European Free Alliance group in the European Parliament.

I sent the email after hearing her comments in this video (just after the two minute mark).

Dear Ms Frassoni,

I hope this email reaches you. I write to you from Ireland with regards to some comments I heard you make in the European parliament. You said and I quote:

"I respect the Irish vote. But no one is ever going to convince me that a referendum where half the population participated is more democratic than parliamentary ratification."

I must say as someone who voted No in that referendum it doesn't sound to me like you do respect the Irish vote. I hope I am very much mistaken on that. I must point out to you that it was considered quite a good turnout, certainly in comparison to previous EU treaty referendums. I would suspect too that if the result of the referendum had been different, you would have no issue whatsoever with the size of the turnout. Again, I hope I am mistaken on this.

The primary reason for my letter though Ms Frassoni is I'd like you to answer me the following question which has troubled me greatly since I heard your remarks:

How is parliamentary ratification, where none of the population participates, considered more democratic in your mind than a referendum which in fact actually allows for the population to participate?

I look forward to hearing your response.

Best wishes...etc.