The Valence Side of the EU: EU Issue Voting in the Aftermath of the Eurozone Crisis

Theories of federalism can provide a set of assumptions, concepts, and arguments that shed light on many aspects of European integration. Applying the federalism perspective opens up EU scholars to a range of relevant comparative cases that provide analytic leverage and insight on the EU. This perspective also enables EU scholars to draw on and contribute to a well-established literature in comparative politics, thus connecting their findings about the EU to broader academic debates. EU scholars have applied theories of federalism to help explain a wide range of questions about European integration, from general questions about why and how the EU came together as a political system to narrow questions about very specific policy areas, to the causes and consequences of the EU’s recent crises. This chapter discusses the main assumptions, concepts, and methodologies in federalism theories of the EU, and explores how this perspective can shed light on the eurozone crisis and the crisis of democratic backsliding among EU member states.

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Politics in the European Union

10.1093/hepl/9780199689668.001.0001 ◽

2014 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Ian Bache ◽

Simon Bulmer ◽

Stephen George ◽

Owen Parker

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

International Politics ◽

Individual Member ◽

The European Union ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Member States ◽

Treaty Of Lisbon ◽

The Subject ◽

The Eu

Politics in the European Union examines the theory, history, institutions, and policies of the European Union. The EU is a unique, complex, and ever-changing political entity which continues to shape both international politics and the politics of its individual member states. The text provides a clear analysis of the organization and presents a well-rounded introduction to the subject. Complete and detailed in its coverage, with a consolidated and updated history section, this text weaves together material on key contemporary concerns including the eurozone crisis and the implementation of the Treaty of Lisbon with a thorough consideration of the workings and remit of the EU.

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Differentiated Integration and Disintegration in the EU: Brexit, the Eurozone Crisis, and Other Troubles

Journal of International Economic Law ◽

10.1093/jiel/jgaa004 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 23 (2) ◽

pp. 489-507

Author(s):

Menelaos Markakis

Keyword(s):

European Integration ◽

Inner Core ◽

Outer Core ◽

Institutional Arrangements ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Course Of Action ◽

Differentiated Integration ◽

The Eu

Abstract This article looks at theories of differentiated integration and disintegration in the wake of the Eurozone crisis and the Brexit referendum. It advances four distinct, albeit interrelated, arguments with respect to these proposals. First, it could be contested whether certain policy areas should be pushed to the ‘outer core’ of European integration. Second, it would be very difficult to disentangle those areas to be pushed to the ‘outer core’ from those areas remaining in the ‘inner core’. Third, the legal and institutional arrangements for organizing differentiated integration are equally important. Fourth, even if the problems adumbrated above could be addressed satisfactorily, the emerging arrangements for differentiated integration would differ little from the degree of flexibility or variation that already exists within some of those areas. Brexit may be viewed as an opportunity for reform to ‘fix’ those issues that are regarded as problematic in the design or functioning of the EU. Should it appear desirable to pursue differentiated integration, the better course of action would be to build on those opportunities for differentiated integration that are offered by the EU Treaties. Any forthcoming Treaty revision to take stock of Brexit could be used to give added impetus to differentiated integration.

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Das politische Europa

10.5771/9783845235554 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Christine Landfried

Keyword(s):

Democratic Governance ◽

Political Crisis ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Institutional Reforms ◽

Positive Potential ◽

Cultural Economic ◽

European Governance ◽

Political Differences ◽

The Eu ◽

Made In

This new and expanded edition of this book analyses the political crisis in the EU. It argues that cultural, economic and political differences can offer both positive and negative potential for democratic governance in Europe. What counts is the way in which actors deal with those differences. In case studies of the eurozone crisis, Brexit and social and constitutional policies, the book researches the concrete impact of difference on European governance. On the basis of these empirical analyses, it then develops ways in which the EU can profit from the positive potential of difference and overcome the crisis. The author pleads for a convention in order for Europe to make a fresh start and learn from the mistakes made in the last convention on the future of the EU. To this end, the author interviewed the committee members of that convention. In these interviews, it becomes apparent that the EU crisis cannot be tackled with institutional reforms alone.

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Indian Elites and the EU as a Normative Power

Baltic Journal of European Studies ◽

10.2478/bjes-2013-0023 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (3) ◽

pp. 105-126 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Rajendra K. Jain ◽

Shreya Pandey

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Civil Society ◽

Shared Values ◽

Political Elites ◽

The European Union ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Face To Face ◽

Normative Power ◽

Normative Identity ◽

The Eu

AbstractDrawing on thirty face-to-face interviews with Indian business, civil society, media and political elites during the period from September 2011 to April 2012, this article seeks to examine the perceptions of Indian elites of the European Union as a normative power. It discusses the evolution of the concept of normative power and the evolution of the EU’s normative identity. It clearly outlines the expansion of the varied roles played by the EU in the course of assuming responsibilities in the capacity of civilian, ethical and normative power of Europe both within its borders and abroad. The article seeks to highlight the diverse external perceptions about the normative power of EU by focusing upon the elite opinion from India. The article captures the changing mood of the elites about the effectiveness of the normative power of the EU with the intensification of the eurozone crisis. It argues that the normative disconnect in worldviews, mindsets and practical agendas between India and the European Union has made it difficult to transform shared values into coordinated policies.

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Perspectives for German-Polish Relations in the EU-27

The Review of European Affairs ◽

10.51149/roea.2.2020.3 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 37-50

Author(s):

Christian Schweiger

Keyword(s):

Sovereign Debt ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

The Future ◽

Angela Merkel ◽

Migration Crisis ◽

Visegrad Group ◽

Governance Architecture ◽

Visegrád Countries ◽

The Eu

In recent years the seemingly firm historical ties between Warsaw and Berlin have become increasingly strained. This results from a growing political asymmetry between the two countries. Germany moved into a semi-hegemonial position under the conditions of the triple crisis of banking, economy and sovereign debt in the eurozone. Consequently, German chancellor Angela Merkel was in a strong enough position to implement ordoliberal reforms of the eurozone’s governance architecture, which were promoted as an approach without alternatives. Merkel maintained her uncompromising stance during the migration crisis in the summer of 2015, when she demanded implementation of compulsory migrant distribution quotas across the EU. Poland and the Visegrád countries had initially strongly supported German leadership in resolving the eurozone crisis. The alienation from Germany’s European agenda however became significant under the conditions of the migration crisis. Here the firm opposition of Poland and the rest of the Visegrád Group towards Germany’s preferences shows a strategic mismatch between the EU’s liberal core, which is spearheaded by Germany, and the concept of the “illiberal” state, which Poland has embraced under the PiS government. The willingness to resolve these differences will be crucial in determining the future shape of Polish-German relations.

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Weak Members and the Enforcement of EU Law

10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198746560.003.0028 ◽

2017 ◽

Author(s):

Michael Ioannidis

Keyword(s):

International Law ◽

Rule Of Law ◽

Constitutional Law ◽

Weak States ◽

Eu Law ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Member States ◽

The Rich ◽

The Eu

This chapter focuses on cases where the presumption that all Member States are effective in enforcing their law does not hold: when Member States show structural, persistent, and cross-sector ineffectiveness in enforcing their law. Borrowing from literature on international law as well as insights from the rich research on EU compliance, this chapter develops three main points. The first is that, on some occasions, the EU might face a similar challenge with that of international law when dealing with weak states. To describe such cases of structural ineffectiveness, this chapter develops the concept of ‘weak member’. The second point is that these problems can be captured through the lens of EU constitutional law, and more specifically as Rule of Law problems. The last point is to present some of the measures taken during the Eurozone crisis to respond to this type of problem with regard to Greece.

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The European Union: How does it work?

10.1093/hepl/9780198807490.001.0001 ◽

2018 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Keyword(s):

European Union ◽

Theory And Practice ◽

The European Union ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

Decision To Leave ◽

Knowledge And Skills ◽

Global Context ◽

Expert Team ◽

The Subject ◽

The Eu

The European Union: How Does It Work? is a perfect first introduction to the European Union, providing concise, accessible coverage of all the main actors, policies, and developments in the EU. An expert team of leading scholars and practitioners cuts through the complexity to explain clearly how the EU works in theory and practice. The book equips readers with the knowledge and skills required to master the subject. Throughout the text engaging and innovative features such as ‘How it really works’ and ‘Compared to what?’ boxes support the analysis, helping readers to think broadly and critically about the reality of EU politics and policy-making. This edition reflects the ongoing changes in the European Union in the aftermath of the Eurozone crisis, and also the changing global context in which the EU operates. In addition, it features a discussion of the topical debate about the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the EU.

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‘SYRIZA and Podemos, we shall overcome’? Left transnational cooperation in times of crisis

Capital & Class ◽

10.1177/03098168211061585 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 030981682110615

Author(s):

Vladimir Bortun

Keyword(s):

Current Literature ◽

Eurozone Crisis ◽

National Politics ◽

Transnational Cooperation ◽

Fertile Ground ◽

Elite Interviews ◽

Party Family ◽

The Relationship ◽

The Eu ◽

Radical Left

The Eurozone crisis and its austerity-centred management opened up a fertile ground for the so-called ‘radical left parties’ (RLPs) and their anti-austerity agenda. Moreover, it provided a unique opportunity for this party family to enhance its rather underdeveloped transnational cooperation. Sharing several objective and subjective features, SYRIZA (Greece) and Podemos (Spain) – arguably the two most prominent European RLPs today – seemed particularly well-placed to develop a strong transnational cooperation. However, the current literature has hardly addressed whether such expectations have been borne out. Indeed, despite a recently increased interest in the radical left, there are still very few studies focusing on the transnational cooperation among RLPs. Building on documentary research and qualitative elite interviews covering the 2014–2017 period, the article has two main objectives: first, to map the cooperation between SYRIZA and Podemos by identifying the key channels and actors of this process; second, to assess their cooperation over said period, with a focus on the factors fuelling and obstructing it. The article argues that the relationship between the two parties reached its peak around SYRIZA’s electoral victory in January 2015 but declined following its deal with the ‘Troika’ 6 months later, which blatantly contradicted SYRIZA’s anti-austerity programme. It is shown that while the main incentives behind their cooperation have been their shared opposition to neoliberalism, the European Union’s (EU) reaction to the crisis, and the similarities in their countries’ economic situations, the main obstacles hindering that cooperation have been the primacy of national politics and the diverging views on the EU. The findings arguably provide useful insights for the wider left transnational cooperation today, in a time of renewed global capitalist crisis, when such cooperation is perhaps more relevant than ever.

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