scholarly journals European Affiliations or National Interests? Analyses of Voting Patterns on Trade Policy in European Parliament

2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 19-48
Author(s):  
Yoo-Duk Kang
Keyword(s):  
Voting Behavior ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
Probit Model ◽  
Trade Agreements ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Political Affiliation ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Members Of European Parliament ◽  
Political Groups ◽  
Country Specific

Abstract This article examines the determinants of voting patterns within the European Parliament for EU trade legislations including EU trade agreements. Given that trade is a very sensitive issue for particular Member States, our question is to verify whether members of European Parliament (MEP) tend to vote in line with their political affiliation or national identity prevails in voting for trade-related issues. Our results from EU trade agreements with Korea and Columbia/Peru show that MEPs tend to vote with others in their political groups in trade legislations and their voting pattern is not very different from the overall voting pattern observed in other policy areas. This trend is confirmed by both the comparison of intra-voting cohesion index and the empirical test based on the probit model. Country-specific variables do not explain well the voting behavior of MEPs in trade issues. However, it is noteworthy that some MEPs voted in line with their national interests in case of EU-Korea FTA.

scholarly journals 15. European parties: A powerful caucus in the European Parliament and beyond

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tapio Raunio
Keyword(s):  
Party System ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
European Council ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Coalition Politics ◽  
European Parties ◽  
Commission President ◽  
State Of Research ◽  
Political Groups

This chapter examines the party system of the European Parliament (EP). In the early 1950s, members of the EP decided to form party-political groups instead of national blocs to counterbalance the dominance of national interests in the European Council. Since then, the party groups have gradually, but consistently, consolidated their positions in the EP. The chapter first considers the shape of the EP party system, the structure of the party groups, and the role of national parties within them. It then looks at the Spitzenkandidaten (lead candidates) initiative, whereby the Europarties put forward their own candidates for the Commission President in the 2014 elections. It also discusses coalition politics and parliamentary committees as well as electoral accountability in the EP and concludes with an overview of the state of research on the EP party system, emphasizing the need to understand how coalitions are formed in the committees and the plenary.

15. European parties:

2021 ◽  
pp. 348-368
Author(s):  
Tapio Raunio
Keyword(s):  
Coalition Formation ◽  
Party System ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
European Level ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Social Democrats ◽  
European Parties ◽  
Commission President ◽  
The One ◽  
Political Groups

The party system of the European Parliament (EP) has been dominated by the two main European party families: centre-right conservatives and Christian democrats, on the one hand, and centre-left social democrats on the other, which controlled the majority of the seats until the 2019 elections. In the early 1950s, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) decided to form party-political groups, instead of national blocs, to counterbalance the dominance of national interests in the Council. Over the decades, the shape of the EP party system has become more stable, and traditional levels of group cohesion and coalition formation have not really been affected by the rise of populism and the increasing politicization of European integration. National parties remain influential within party groups, not least through their control of candidate selection. Outside of the Parliament, Europarties—parties operating at the European level—influence both the broader development of integration and the choice of the Commission president.

scholarly journals Representation of Lithuanian Citizens in the European Parliament: Between European and National Interests

Politologija ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (2) ◽  
pp. 69-106
Author(s):  
Sima Rakutienė ◽  
Ingrida Unikaitė-Jakuntavičienė
Keyword(s):  
European Parliament ◽  
Opinion Poll ◽  
Public Opinion Poll ◽  
National Interests ◽  
Conflict Of Interests ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
Representation Of Interests ◽  
Political Groups ◽  
Ruling Party

The article analyzes the problem of conflict of European and national interests in the activities of a Member of the European Parliament (MEP). The study seeks answers to the following questions: what factors impact the decision and voting of EP members, elected in Lithuania, in the plenary sessions in the cases of collision of interests, and to what extent the interests of the electorate, national parties, or European political groups are important to MEPs elected in Lithuania. To achieve the goal, first, a review of the scientific literature on the representation of interests in the European Parliament, the issues of conflict of interests is carried out. Next, the theoretical model of the “two-level game,” which is applied in the analysis of an MEP’s activities, is discussed. In the second part of the article, a Lithuanian case study is carried out, analyzing the data of semistructured interviews with MEPs, results of public opinion poll of the Lithuanian population, and other quantitative data. The results show that MEPs elected in Lithuania, like the MEPs elected in other countries, face the problem of a conflict of interests. The inquiry also revealed that an MEP’s decision on how to vote in an EP plenary session depends not only on whether they are a member of the opposition or the ruling party, but also on their personal preferences.

Zastosowanie analizy sieci społecznych w badaniach elit parlamentarnych (na przykładzie eurodeputowanych z Polski)

2014 ◽  
pp. 8-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
Piotr Swacha
Keyword(s):  
Social Network ◽  
Social Network Analysis ◽  
Network Analysis ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Political Groups ◽  
Graphical Presentation ◽  
Relational Network

The purpose of this article is to present the possibilities of using social network analysis (SNA) in the study of the European Parliament elite. This study focuses on organisational connections between Polish members of the European Parliament (seventh term). Official organisational relationships of Polish MEPs include common membership in: political groups, authorities of parliamentary committees and delegations, Parliament’s Bureau, Conference of Presidents, Conference of Committee (and Delegation) Chairs. UCInet and Netdraw programmes were used to calculate SNA’s basic measures and to prepare graphical presentation of relational network created by the Polish MEPs. On this basis main characteristics of the network were presented and MEPs who had the best network locations were distinguished.

Disengaging elections? Political interest, number of elections, and turnout in elections to the European Parliament

2021 ◽  
pp. 146511652199845
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Nonnemacher
Keyword(s):  
Political Behavior ◽  
Voting Behavior ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
National Study ◽  
National Elections ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
European Election ◽  
Using Data ◽  
European Parliament Elections ◽  
Cross National Study

Since direct elections to the European Parliament began in 1979, variations in voting behavior in European Parliament elections from national elections have raised interesting questions about political behavior. I add to a growing literature that explores turnout in European Parliament elections by focusing on the count of national elections between European Parliament elections. Through a cross-national study of elections, I find that turnout decreases in the European Parliament contest following cycles with numerous national contests. Then, using data from the European Election Study, I argue that this is the result of frequent elections decreasing turnout particularly among already low interest voters who stay home. My findings have implications for how formal rules of multi-level elections shape political behavior more generally and voter fatigue in particular.

scholarly journals The European Parliament and the Layered Politicization of the External Dimension of the Common Fisheries Policy

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 237-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hubert Zimmermann
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Policy Process ◽  
Empirical Test ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Veto Players ◽  
Political Dynamics ◽  
Fisheries Policy ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
The Common ◽  
Policy Fields

When the Lisbon Treaty entered into effect, the European Parliament became a core player in the decision-making processes of the EU’s Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) and its external dimensions. This new role suggested a shift towards stronger politicization in what had previously been a rather technocratic policy field. However, the CFP is not yet marked by a clear and consistent level of politicization. I use the concept of ‘layered politicization’ to explain this pattern. Although it is not comparable to the degree of political controversy shaping fully politicized policy fields, some similar political dynamics can be observed. Among them is a transformation in the policy process due to higher ratification requirements; a higher likelihood of political deadlock resulting from an increasing number of veto-players; and a strengthening of the contested legitimacy of EU decision-making. An empirical test of these theoretical propositions is provided here in the form of two case studies; the negotiation of Fisheries Partnership Agreements with Morocco and Mauritania.

Les aspects politiques de l'évolution de la nouvelle vie parlementaire au sein du Parlement européen depuis sa première élection au suffrage universel direct en Juin 1979

1989 ◽  
Author(s):  
Constantin Antonakis
Keyword(s):  
European Integration ◽  
Political System ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
The Political ◽  
National Interests ◽  
The North ◽  
American Model ◽  
Institutional System ◽  
North And South

The appearance of the new parliamentary life within the european parliament elected by direct universal franchise in june 1979. The first two turns of office saw the emergence of new political currents of european size. Via the ups and downs of european integration and the economic questions which are the community's member one concern, the new political european parliamentary game, determined by national interests and the decline of the ideological factor, comes to the fore. At least that's what the political powers of the north and south of the community put forward based on their national choices. Whereas the parliament demands an important role in the institutional system, the new european political system is looking more and more like the american model.

12. The European Parliament

2019 ◽  
pp. 176-188
Author(s):  
Charlotte Burns
Keyword(s):  
Internal Structure ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
The Political ◽  
Legislative Process ◽  
National Parliaments ◽  
European Elections ◽  
Legislative Power ◽  
European Public ◽  
Political Groups ◽  
Representative Function

This chapter focuses upon the European Parliament (EP), an institution that has seen its power dramatically increase in recent times. The EP has been transformed from being a relatively powerless institution into one that is able to have a genuine say in the legislative process and hold the European Union’s executive bodies (the Commission and Council, introduced in Chapters 9 and 10) to account in a range of policy areas. However, increases in the Parliament’s formal powers have not been matched by an increase in popular legitimacy: turnout in European elections is falling. Thus, while the EP’s legislative power is comparable to that enjoyed by many national parliaments, it has struggled to connect with the wider European public. The chapter explores these issues in detail. In the first section, the EP’s evolution from talking shop to co-legislator is reviewed; its powers and influence are explained in the next section; the EP’s internal structure and organization are then discussed with a focus upon the role and behaviour of the political groups, and finally, the European Parliament’s representative function as the EU’s only directly elected institution is discussed.

scholarly journals Gender, Violence, and Political Institutions: Struggles over Sexual Harassment in the European Parliament

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valentine Berthet ◽  
Johanna Kantola
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Harassment ◽  
Institutional Change ◽  
Political Institutions ◽  
European Parliament ◽  
Interview Data ◽  
Gender Violence ◽  
Institutional Response ◽  
Members Of European Parliament

Abstract The global #MeToo movement exposed the prevalence of sexual harassment across countries, in diverse contexts, and within institutions; including the supposedly gender-friendly European Parliament (EP). Using a unique set of interview data with key actors in the #MeTooEP campaign and Members of European Parliament and staff, this article analyzes the discursive struggles around sexual harassment in the EP. The analysis shows how these discourses fundamentally shaped the patchy institutional response to sexual harassment with findings that illuminate the resistance to institutional change.

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