Lisa Kriegmair worked as a researcher at the University of Munich (LMU) from 2017 to 2023, where she finished her PhD dissertation in 2023. Her research interests include European Integration, Europeanisation as well as the processes of responsibility and blame attribution. Her work has been published in prominent journals such as West European Politics, the European Journal of Political Research and the Journal of European Public Politics. Her book “European Blame Games: Where does the Buck stop?” (with Tim Heinkelmann-Wild, Berthold Rittberger, Bernhard Zangl) was published by Oxford University Press in 2024. She currently works as a project coordinator for european and international affairs for the City of Munich (Germany).

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Explaining governments' blame avoidance strategies under EU conditionality.- 3. Research Design.- 4. Blame avoidance strategies in Ireland – Three cases of reforms.- 5. Blame avoidance strategies in Portugal – Two cases of reforms.- 6. Comparing blame avoidance strategies and alternative explanations.- 7. Conclusion.

Lisa Kriegmair worked as a researcher at the University of Munich (LMU) from 2017 to 2023, where she finished her PhD dissertation in 2023. Her research interests include European Integration, Europeanisation as well as the processes of responsibility and blame attribution. Her work has been published in prominent journals such as West European Politics, the European Journal of Political Research and the Journal of European Public Politics. Her book “European Blame Games: Where does the Buck stop?” (with Tim Heinkelmann-Wild, Berthold Rittberger, Bernhard Zangl) was published by Oxford University Press in 2024. She currently works as a project coordinator for european and international affairs for the City of Munich (Germany).

• 1. Introduction.- 2. Explaining governments' blame avoidance strategies under EU conditionality.- 3. Research Design.- 4. Blame avoidance strategies in Ireland – Three cases of reforms.- 5. Blame avoidance strategies in Portugal – Two cases of reforms.- 6. Comparing blame avoidance strategies and alternative explanations.- 7. Conclusion.