National Politics And European Integration

This book discusses the domestic politics of treaty reform in the European Union, from the failed referendums on the Constitutional Treaty held in France and the Netherlands in May-June 2005 to the entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon in December 2009.

The chapters, written by some of the finest scholars in the field of EU/European politics, show how European integration has increasingly become a contested issue in a majority of Member States. Going beyond the view that national governments are the main, if not the sole, driving force in the process of European integration, this book shows that other actors and factors have played a central role in preference formation and inter-state bargaining. These include: political parties, public opinion, the media, presidents, constitutional courts and, more broadly, political systems, ratification hurdles and the general negotiation context.

National Politics and European Integration combines empirical analysis and theoretical explanations for one of the most controversial periods in the history of the European Union. This important book will be of great interest for advanced students in EU studies, comparative politics and public policy.

Contents:

Foreword
Alberta Sbragia

1. Introduction: Understanding the Domestic Politics of Treaty Reform
Maurizio Carbone

2. The EU Reform Process: From the European Constitution to the Lisbon Treaty
Thomas Christiansen

3. France: From Rejection to Return?
Helen Drake and Christian Lequesne

4. Germany: From Launching the Constitutional Debate to Salvaging a Treaty
Simon Bulmer

5. United Kingdom: Red Lines Defended
Neill Nugent and David Phinnemore

6. Italy: The Importance of Party Politics in Treaty Negotiations
Lucia Quaglia

7. Poland: Domestic Discord Makes for a Problematic Partner
Paul G. Lewis

8. Ireland: More Referendums Anyone?
Brian Girvin

9. The Benelux Countries: How Politicization Upset a Pro-integration Coalition
Peter Bursens and Ben Crum

10. Spain and Portugal: Continuity and Consensus in Iberia
Mary Farrell

11. The Nordic Countries: Between Scepticism and Adaptation
Finn Laursen

12. Czech Republic and Slovakia: Party Politics and the Travails of Ratification
Karen Henderson

13. Conclusion: Preference Formation, Inter-state Bargaining and the Treaty of Lisbon
Maurizio Carbone

Index