European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times (Palgrave Studies in European Union Politics)

Preface
Praise for European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times
Contents
Notes on Contributors
Abbreviations
List of Figures
List of Tables
1 Introduction: European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times
	Introduction
	The Core Features of Political Groups in the EP
	New Inroads into the Study of Political Groups
	Evaluating Political Groups: Focus on Democratic Practices
	The Chapters of the Book
	References
2 Negotiating Power and Democracy in Political Group Formation in the European Parliament
	Introduction
	Background of Political Group Formation
	Theoretical and Methodological Framework
	Four Layers of Political Group Formation
		Layer 1: Formal Political Group Formation After EP Elections
		Layer 2: Internal Political Group Formation Through Core Functions
		Layer 3: Political Group Formation and Consolidation Through Policies
		Layer 4: Changes to Political Group Composition During the Legislative Term
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
3 The Political Groups as Organisations: The Institutionalisation of Transnational Party Politics
	Introduction
	Explaining the Institutionalisation of the Political Groups
	Research Design
	The Organisational Development of the Political Groups
		The Elected Parliament: From Talking-Shop to Co-Legislator
		The Enlarged Parliament: Legislative Empowerment and More Diversity
		The Normal Parliament: A Legislative Powerhouse
	How the Groups Organise: Coordination Rather Than Sanctions
	Conclusions
	Notes
	References
4 Democratic Practices and Political Dynamics of Intra-Group Policy Formation in the European Parliament
	Introduction
	The Hidden Politics of Policy Formation in the European Parliament
	Formal and Informal Democratic Practices in Policy-Making
	Material and Method
	Unified Group Line and Modes of Decision-Making
		The Importance of a Unified Group Line
		Modes of Decision-Making
	Structures and Arenas of Group Line Formation
	Power Hierarchies and Actors Shaping the Group Line
	Conclusions
	Note
	References
5 Eurosceptic Contestation and Legislative Behaviour in the European Parliament
	Introduction
	Theorising Eurosceptic Contestation in the EP
	How to Analyse Eurosceptic Contestation in the EP
	Eurosceptic Polarisation and Cohesion Across Policy Fields
	Eurosceptic Behaviour in the Legislative Process
		Anti-discrimination and Minority Rights: Alignment of Euroscepticism and Conservativism
		Foreign Policy: Selective Alignment
		Economic Regulation: Undermining Eurosceptic Cohesion
	Conclusion
	Annex
	Notes
	References
6 When Words Do Not Follow Deeds: An Analysis of Party Competition Between Centre-Right and Eurosceptic Radical-Right Parties in the European Parliament
	Introduction
	Inclusion and Exclusion of Radical Right Challengers: Understanding the Strategies of the Centre-Right
	Strategies of the EPP in the European Parliament
	Data and Methods
	Strategies in the Asylum Reform Package
		Qualifications Regulation (2016/0223/COD)
		Eurodac Regulation (2016/0132/COD)
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
7 How Do Eurosceptics Wage Opposition in the European Parliament? Patterns of Behaviour in the 8th Legislature
	Introduction
	Opposition to Europe and Parliamentary Behaviour
	Objectives and Hypotheses
	Data and Method
	Analysing the Difference Between Opposition Actors Within the EP
		Descriptive Results
		Regression Results
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
8 Shaping the EU’s Future? Europarties, European Parliament’s Political Groups and the Conference on the Future of Europe
	Introduction
	Agenda-Setting in EU Politics
	EU Constitutional Reforms, Party Politics and Accumulated Experience
	Empirical Analysis: Business as Usual for the EP Political Groups
		The Road to the Conference
		Coalitions and Leadership in the Parliament
	Concluding Discussion
	Notes
	References
9 (Disap)pointing in the Mirror: The European Parliament’s Obligations to Protect EU Basic Values in Member States and at EU Level
	Introduction
	Context: EU Protection of EU Values at Member State Level and the EP
	The EP and Regulating Compliance with Basic EU Values at EU Level: Instruments
	The EP and Regulating Compliance with EU Values at EU Level: Practice
	Some Proposals to Strengthen Protection of EU Values by Political Groups
	Conclusion
	Notes
	References
10 Parliamentary Politics and Polarisation Around Gender: Tackling Inequalities in Political Groups in the European Parliament
	Introduction
	Researching Gendered Inequalities and Gender Equality Practices in Parliaments
	Research Data and Methods
	Gender Equality as a Fundamental Principle: Greens/EFA and GUE/NGL
		Practices for Promoting Gender Equality
	Gender Equality as a Flexible Norm: S&D and ALDE/Renew
		Practices for Promoting Gender Equality
	Contradictory Gender Equality: The EPP, EFDD and ECR
		Practices for Promoting Gender Equality
	Irrelevant and Dangerous Gender: ENF/ID
	Conclusions
	Notes
	References
11 ‘Ethno, Ethno, What?’: Using Ethnography to Explore the European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times
	Introduction
	Parliamentary Ethnography and the Study of Political Groups
	Shadowing, Meeting Ethnography and Hanging Out
		Shadowing MEPs
		Meeting Ethnography of Group Meetings and Working Groups
		Hanging Out
	Conclusion
	References
12 Turbulent Times for the European Parliament’s Political Groups? Lessons on Continuity and Change
	Introduction
	Euroscepticism, Radical Right Populism and Political Groups
	Political Groups as Democratic Actors
	Formal and Informal Institutions of the Political Groups
	Political Groups, European Integration and New Research Avenues
	References
Index