This panel is part of the symposium “The Functioning, Challenges and Opportunities of Representative Democracy”, which consists of 2 sessions. The symposium is concerned with contemporary representative democracies, and focuses on the functioning of, challenges to and opportunities for representative democracy. Papers deal with important topics concerning the functioning of and challenges to representation, and deal with these in an empirical way. The symposium thus aims to shed light on contemporary strengths and difficulties within European democracies, and explores which measures could potentially improve their current state. This first session examines the way representative democracy works and re-evaluates the more traditional elements of representation in democracy. It specifically examines representation in terms of policy responsiveness and ideological congruence. Three papers in this session examine policy responsiveness. Paper one looks at whether policy responsiveness is equal or different for ‘opinion leaders’ and the rest of the electorate; paper two rather looks at agenda representation and whether the select committee system influences the level of responsiveness; and paper three examines studies the mitigating effect of responsiveness on the relation between satisfaction with the way democracy works and the winner/loser status of the voter. The other two papers examine congruence. Paper four studies the effects of ideological congruence on people’s satisfaction with the overall functioning of democracy, whereas paper five compares congruence between elected and non-elected candidates on the basis of focus, party, and interest representation.