|
Abstract:
The project of European integration now spans Europe, but in becoming bigger and broader the European Union has brought on itself significant criticism. As the EU becomes deeper, wider, and more ambitious, so opposition and scepticism become more prominent for citizens and more problematic for elites. Concerns about a 'democratic deficit' and the distance between European elites and publics have come to be a common feature of European politics. As a consequence Euroscepticism has become a part of the terrain of conflict between political parties across Europe.
Opposing Europe? provides the first comprehensive review of party-based Euroscepticism across the breadth of contemporary Europe, and the first in-depth comparative academic study of Euroscepticism. This, the first of two volumes, is made up of chapters that map, describe, and analyse Euroscepticism in the party systems of a range of countries and the European Parliament. Each is written to a common frame of reference that differentiates 'hard' and 'soft' Euroscepticism. The volume looks across Europe and includes EU member states and candidate and non-member states in order to draw out comparative lessons that relate to the nature of political parties, party systems, and the domestic politics of European integration.
This is a groundbreaking book that provides a definitive review of a key issue in European politics. It is also one of the few attempts to integrate the fields of EU studies with both West European and East European studies in order to draw lessons about the way in which the EU interacts with domestic politics in both member and non-member states. Examining the way that parties position themselves and compete on the European issue provides powerful lessons for the trajectory of the European integration project more generally and on the prospects for the emergence of a European political system and polity.
Contents:
Introduction: Opposing Europe? The Politics of Euroscepticism in Europe - Paul Taggart and Aleks Szczerbiak
The Limits of Party-based Euroscepticism in Germany - Charles Lees
Euroscepticism in Italy - Lucia Quaglia
Hard but Hardly Relevant: Party-based Euroscepticism in Belgium - Kris Deschouwer and Martine Van Assche
Euroscepticism in the British Party System: 'A Source of Fascination, Perplexity, and Sometimes Frustration' - David Baker (et al.)
Shades of Green: Euroscepticism in Irish Political Parties - Karin Gilland
Euroscepticism and Political Parties in Spain - Marga Gómez-Reino (et al.)
Euroscepticism in Denmark - Ann-Christina Lauring Knudsen
The Difficult Task of Opposing Europe: The Finnish Party Politics of Euroscepticism - Tapio Raunio
Softer but Strong: Euroscepticism and Party Politics in Sweden - Nicholas Aylott
Euroscepticism in Austrian Political Parties: Ideologically Rooted or Strategically Motivated? - Franz Fallend
Opposing Europe or Problematizing Europe? Euroscepticism and 'Eurorealism' in the Polish Party System - Aleks Szczerbiak
Embracing Europe, Opposing EU-rope? Party-based Euroscepticism in the Czech Republic - Sean Hanley
Euroscepticism in the Hungarian Party System: Voices from the Wilderness - Agnes Batory
The Slovak Republic: Eurosceptics and Phoney Europhiles - Karen Henderson
Emerging Party-based Euroscepticism in Estonia - Evald Mikkel and Andres Kasekamp
Euroscepticism and Slovenian Political Parties: A case of Weak Party-based Euroscepticism - Alenka Krašovec and Simona Kustec Lipicer
The European Question and the Norwegian Party System since 1961: The Freezing of a Modern Cleavage or Contingent Opposition - Nick Sitter
Conclusion: Opposing Europe? Three Patterns of Party Competition over Europe - Paul Taggart and Aleks Szczerbiak
|
