Linking International Law (IL) and International Relations (IR) is a significant challenge in itself. In addition, the way this linkage was constructed and the use of of IL simply as to written norms hamper its development. Building on insights from IL and using a definition that captures the dynamic aspect of legal phenomena open new analytical perspectives, including the one of interpretation of international norms. We adopt this interdisciplinary approach to understand the inconsistent application of democratic clauses. The analysis of the elements of the interpretation process – the norm, the factual situation, and the interpreter – allows for distinguishing both the intervening factors and the nature of the concerned legal obligations. Different normative engagements explain how those elements combine and provide the frame for application of democratic clauses.