European Integration, Intergovernmental Bargaining, and Convergence of Party Programmes

Journal article | Zeitschriftenartikel

Over the past 50 years, the European Union (EU) has dramatically increased its policy-making power. However, there remains considerable variation over time as well as across policy areas in the relative power of the EU and the member states. The variation is likely to influence EU-wide bargaining. Following the logic of bargaining games with domestically constrained actors, or two-level games, the changes in the bargaining environment may also influence party competition within the member states of the European Union. Using manifesto data for 1951–2001, this article examines convergence of party programmes across Western Europe. It is shown that European integration has increasingly constrained the range of policy platforms. Moreover, we generally find a stronger effect if and when countries are actually members of the EU. European integration bolsters programmatic convergence of Euro-friendly as well as Eurosceptic parties. However, European integration particularly influences the convergence of Eurosceptic parties in EU member states.

Object Details

• Extent: Seite(n): 235-256
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Status: Postprint; begutachtet (peer reviewed)

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: European Union Politics, 7(2)

Classification and Topics

• Subject: Politikwissenschaft ; Europapolitik ; politische Willensbildung, politische Soziologie, politische Kultur

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Dorussen, Han ; Nanou, Kyriaki
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Vereinigtes Königreich
• (when): 2006

Further information

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116506063709
• URN: urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-229005
• Rights: GESIS - Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften. Bibliothek Köln
• Last update: 21.06.2024, 4:27 PM CEST