Should, and could, European integration become more politicized?

Ivan GRIGORYEV (POL)

outline

1.why ask? A brief intro

2.how do we make it more politicized? Virtues of constitutionalization and majoritarianism

3.who could help do it?

1.why do we ask ?

The roots of the problem:shift in the EU's policy agenda + end of 'permissive consensus'

shift in policy agenda-1

mid80s-mid90s:

Source: Hix, p. 41

All in favour of changing the SQ, so it produces winers only

shift in policy agenda-2

late 90s-present:

Source: Hix, p. 43

Changing the SQ produces winers AND losers

end of “permissive consensus”

Maastricht and its aftermath “was a great constitutional moment” for the EU because of “the public reaction, frequently and deliciously hostile... For four decades European politicians were spoiled by a population which was conveniently indifferent.” Maastricht “has had a transformative impact: public opinion... is no longer willing to accept the orthodoxies of European integration, in particular the imperative which demanded acceptance, come what may, of the dynamics of Union evolution.” (Weiler: 3-4)

end of “permissive consensus”

Source: Eurobarometer 54: 32

“It is only when the "lower classes" do not want to live in the old way and the "upper classes" cannot carry on in the old way that the revolution can triumph.” (Lenin: 83)

2.how to make it?

“the EU needs a strong dose of political oxygen to breath properly” (Tsoukalis: 6)

“...the aim was to render policy-making more transparent and understandable and the system more accountable to European citizens” (Tsakatika: 877)

constitutionalization

problem: streamlining rules to make the EU more user-friendly does not create incentives for citizens to participate

constitutionalization

two-way street: “A contest for control of political authority and over the direction of the policy agenda forces elites to reveal their policy preferences to the public and encourages leaders to engage in policy innovation and joined-up thinking across a range of policy issues. It also allows the citizens to identify the winners and losers of policy outcomes... and choose to support rival leaders in the next stage of the on-going competition, and to hence hold leaders to account” (Hix: 90)

“majoritarianism light”

Hix proposes a combination of more QMV and less consensus in the Council with a 'winner takes more' principle within the EP committees (Hix: 117-136)

How to make it more majoritarian?

Should it happen like that - it would be nice.

Who in the EU wants politicization?

3.who would do that?

3.who would do that?

Trade-off between constitutionalization and politicization (Hooghe and Marks)

sources

Hix, S. (2008) What's Wrong with the European Union and How to Fix it?, Polity Press

Hooghe, L. and Marks, G. (2005) The neofunctionalists were (almost) right: politicization and European integration, Constitutionalism Web-Papers, ConWEB No. 5/2005.

Lenin, V.I. (1999) 'Left-wing' Communism – An infantile disorder, Resistance Books

Standard Eurobarometer 54, http://ec.europa.eu/public_opinion/archives/eb/eb54/eb54_en.pdf

Tsakatika, M. (2007) Governance vs. politics: the European Union's constitutive 'democratic deficit',Journal of European Public Policy 14: 6

Tsoukalis, L. (2005) What Kind of Europe? OUPWeiler, J. (1999) The Constitution of Europe: 'Do the New

Clothes Have an Emperor?' and Other Essays on European Integration, Cambridge University Press

pictures' sources

1: Did Will Would Should Could Have by banlon1964,http://www.flickr.com/photos/banlon1964/646793350/2: Minimalism* by imapix, http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesec/235087674/3: Root problem by Autumnsonata, http://www.flickr.com/photos/autumnsonata/2564556107/4,5: Good cat Bad cat by Tabbie-cats, http://www.flickr.com/photos/kitty-cats-corner/419522334/6: Lego People by Joe Shlabotnik, http://www.flickr.com/photos/joeshlabotnik/305410323/8: LENIN, ALEXANDROVA Y NIXON by bocángel, http://www.flickr.com/photos/bocangel/3067068557/9: Oxygen by Geeflex, http://www.flickr.com/photos/geeflex/3025253199/10: No kite, 2 bikes and a casual passer-by by OR-U, http://www.flickr.com/photos/grantlsack/1029779042/

pictures' sources

11: Another reason to bootleg transfats in your basement by pinkyhonor, http://www.flickr.com/photos/21891888@N00/495245511/12: Members of the UK Youth Parliament take their seats by UK Parliament, http://www.flickr.com/photos/uk_parliament/4071865126/13: Maroš Šefčovič answering questions of MEPs: a view from regia's booth by European Parliament, http://www.flickr.com/photos/european_parliament/4285999544/14: On a nice day by madamcoffee, http://www.flickr.com/photos/madamcoffee/4133485833/15: Tony Blair, Klaus Schwab - World Economic Forum Annual Meeting Davos 2007 by World Economic Forum, http://www.flickr.com/photos/worldeconomicforum/374709343/16: Gezinsdag Herman Van Rompuy by CD&V, http://www.flickr.com/photos/cdenv/3640167843/