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Dissensus, Deadlock, and Disintegration? Examining the Effects of EU Politicisation

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Rethinking Politicisation in Politics, Sociology and International Relations

Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology ((PSEPS))

Abstract

Scholars agree that the European Union (EU) and its policies have become politicised and there is extensive research on the causes and patterns of this phenomenon. The effects of politicisation on supranational decision-making and European integration, in contrast, have received little systematic attention. Against this background, this chapter systemises and discusses theoretical approaches as well as recent empirical studies on the consequences of EU politicisation. It shows that several studies provide support that politicisation enhances EU decision-makers’ responsiveness. At the same time, intra- and inter-institutional bargaining processes seem to remain more or less unaffected. Also, regarding European integration, politicisation does not seem to be a hindrance. This can be attributed to the various strategies decision-makers can employ to shield decisions at the European level from the increasingly attentive and critical public.

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  1. Institute for Political Science, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany

    Lisa H. Anders

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  1. Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Fulda, Germany

    Claudia Wiesner

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Anders, L.H. (2021). Dissensus, Deadlock, and Disintegration? Examining the Effects of EU Politicisation. In: Wiesner, C. (eds) Rethinking Politicisation in Politics, Sociology and International Relations. Palgrave Studies in European Political Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54545-1_9

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