Democracy is a real democracy if voters feel represented. Perhaps there is a voter here and there that has an objective perspective if representation is enough or not. But I wouldn't bet on it.
But you said yourself, that there are different lavels of directness. That is the core argument where everyone has different expectations.
The core argument sounds a lot like "it's not true if I don't feel like it's true". Which of course decades of anti-eu parties and ads can have a massive impact on.
You don't have to engage with this kind of criticism but it isn't entirely recent or new nor too complicated ot understand the issues people might have.
But you said yourself, that there are different lavels of directness. That is the core argument where everyone has different expectations.