Future of Europe – serie

This book sheds light on how member states and EU neighbours reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of European solidarity, what they expect from the EU, and other member states, and how they are ready to contribute to common action. The volume reveals how European countries experience and perceive solidarity from the EU and towards the EU in different policy dimensions, such as intra-EU mobility, healthcare and financial and economic aspects of Europe’s recovery. The book offers national perspectives and perceptions of solidarity and concrete aspects in different policy areas. It includes a Foreword by the Vice-presidents of the European Parliament Katarina Barley and Othmar Karas.

This book sheds light on how member states and EU neighbours reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic through the lens of European solidarity, what they expect from the EU, and other member states, and how they are ready to contribute to common action. The volume reveals how European countries experience and perceive solidarity from the EU and towards the EU in different policy dimensions, such as intra-EU mobility, healthcare and financial and economic aspects of Europe’s recovery. The book offers national perspectives and perceptions of solidarity and concrete aspects in different policy areas. It includes a Foreword by the Vice-presidents of the European Parliament Katarina Barley and Othmar Karas.

The European Union, as a regulatory polity based on integration through law, arguably relies more on legal compliance with its policies than any other political system. Proceeding from this point of departure, this book puts the spotlight on the subnational tier and scrutinizes its role in ensuring compliance. Drawing on a dataset of infringement proceedings against federal and regionalized member states, the book shows that strong shared rule, i.e., strong cooperation between national and subnational authorities, can improve national compliance records. In contrast, policy sectors with strong redistributive consequences impair subnational authorities’ capacity to comply.  In short, policy and politics matter more than polity.

The European Union, as a regulatory polity based on integration through law, arguably relies more on legal compliance with its policies than any other political system. Proceeding from this point of departure, this book puts the spotlight on the subnational tier and scrutinizes its role in ensuring compliance. Drawing on a dataset of infringement proceedings against federal and regionalized member states, the book shows that strong shared rule, i.e., strong cooperation between national and subnational authorities, can improve national compliance records. In contrast, policy sectors with strong redistributive consequences impair subnational authorities’ capacity to comply.  In short, policy and politics matter more than polity.

This book sheds light on how Member States and EU neighbours relate to Russia. It includes their historical, financial and political ties, as well as the public perception of the national population vis-à-vis Russia. Each chapter builds on these factors to elucidate the country’s position towards Russia and provides a prediction on the future of these relations. This volume shows the diverse relations that the EU member states and neighbours have with Russia, spanning from tense and confrontational to more eased and friendly, highlighting the contrasts between the national state and the EU as a whole. The book also presents the reader with concrete aspects in different policy areas, via recommendations on how single countries and the EU should deal with Russia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022will change the relationship between the West and Putin’s Russia for decades to come. No doubt that this blatant violation of International Law and the incomprehensible human suffering of Ukrainian citizens will massively change the attitude of the countries analysed in this book.

This book sheds light on how Member States and EU neighbours relate to Russia. It includes their historical, financial and political ties, as well as the public perception of the national population vis-à-vis Russia. Each chapter builds on these factors to elucidate the country’s position towards Russia and provides a prediction on the future of these relations. This volume shows the diverse relations that the EU member states and neighbours have with Russia, spanning from tense and confrontational to more eased and friendly, highlighting the contrasts between the national state and the EU as a whole. The book also presents the reader with concrete aspects in different policy areas, via recommendations on how single countries and the EU should deal with Russia. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on 24th February 2022will change the relationship between the West and Putin’s Russia for decades to come. No doubt that this blatant violation of International Law and the incomprehensible human suffering of Ukrainian citizens will massively change the attitude of the countries analysed in this book.

While the ambitious objectives outlined in the EU’s Green Deal aim at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, national implementation greatly varies depending on local geographies, history, culture, economics, and politics. This book analyses Member States’ and EU neighbours’ national efforts to combat climate change. It subsequently draws on these factors to highlight local challenges, tensions, and opportunities on the road towards climate neutrality. In the context of inter-country dependencies following Russia’s war against Ukraine, it addresses strategic questions regarding EU integration, the transformation of our economies, the reduction of energy dependencies, and public perception of the above. The book also makes concrete recommendations, in various policy areas, on how individual countries and the EU as a whole should deal with the climate crisis.

While the ambitious objectives outlined in the EU’s Green Deal aim at making Europe the first climate-neutral continent by 2050, national implementation greatly varies depending on local geographies, history, culture, economics, and politics. This book analyses Member States’ and EU neighbours’ national efforts to combat climate change. It subsequently draws on these factors to highlight local challenges, tensions, and opportunities on the road towards climate neutrality. In the context of inter-country dependencies following Russia’s war against Ukraine, it addresses strategic questions regarding EU integration, the transformation of our economies, the reduction of energy dependencies, and public perception of the above. The book also makes concrete recommendations, in various policy areas, on how individual countries and the EU as a whole should deal with the climate crisis.

This open access book provides in-depth and comparative analyses of how young people in peripheral areas in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania perceive EU citizenship. It also informs the reader about the challenges faced by EU Youth Dialogue projects that aim at promoting active (EU) citizenship in these areas and it offers context-specific recommendations for local, regional, national and European policymakers and people working with young people. The contributions are based on new qualitative data collected within the framework of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at Leipzig University. It will be of interest to practitioners and scholars working on Europe and the EU, citizenship and the promotion of an active EU citizenship beyond urban centres.

This open access book provides in-depth and comparative analyses of how young people in peripheral areas in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary and Romania perceive EU citizenship. It also informs the reader about the challenges faced by EU Youth Dialogue projects that aim at promoting active (EU) citizenship in these areas and it offers context-specific recommendations for local, regional, national and European policymakers and people working with young people. The contributions are based on new qualitative data collected within the framework of the Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence at Leipzig University. It will be of interest to practitioners and scholars working on Europe and the EU, citizenship and the promotion of an active EU citizenship beyond urban centres.

This book analyzes the limitations in the Europeanization of Spanish security and defense policy. For various reasons, Spain has maintained an amalgamated security system based on agreements with NATO, the EU and the US. This combination has produced a dysfunctional system, as it is not truly able to address some of the country’s vital security interests, above all in North Africa and the Mediterranean. At the same time, due mainly to domestic reasons, various Spanish governments have been reluctant to pursue autonomy in the country’s security policy and defense capabilities. Written by a team of scholars and practitioners, this book offers policymakers and professionals both a general overview of and deeper insights into the issue. Due to the lack of comprehensive studies on Spanish security and defense policy and its ties to Europe, this book will be of particular interest.

This book analyzes the limitations in the Europeanization of Spanish security and defense policy. For various reasons, Spain has maintained an amalgamated security system based on agreements with NATO, the EU and the US. This combination has produced a dysfunctional system, as it is not truly able to address some of the country’s vital security interests, above all in North Africa and the Mediterranean. At the same time, due mainly to domestic reasons, various Spanish governments have been reluctant to pursue autonomy in the country’s security policy and defense capabilities. Written by a team of scholars and practitioners, this book offers policymakers and professionals both a general overview of and deeper insights into the issue. Due to the lack of comprehensive studies on Spanish security and defense policy and its ties to Europe, this book will be of particular interest.

This book addresses a range of aspects essential to a better understanding of Slovenia's 20 years in the EU and its exposure to the European integration process, including changes to its policies on e.g. competitiveness, industry, innovation, foreign policy and diplomacy, security and defense, but also its relations to neighboring countries, its experience with European elections, and different forms of Euroscepticism and citizens' trust in EU institutions. Subsequent chapters explore how Slovenia has been coping with the Maastricht criteria and EU law more generally in its polities and politics, benefitting from EU funds, and defending its language as an official language of the EU. In concise contributions, the authors – with diverse scholarly backgrounds and hailing from Slovenia and abroad – assess these aspects and share their perspectives on Slovenia's experiences after 20 years of full EU membership.

This book addresses a range of aspects essential to a better understanding of Slovenia's 20 years in the EU and its exposure to the European integration process, including changes to its policies on e.g. competitiveness, industry, innovation, foreign policy and diplomacy, security and defense, but also its relations to neighboring countries, its experience with European elections, and different forms of Euroscepticism and citizens' trust in EU institutions. Subsequent chapters explore how Slovenia has been coping with the Maastricht criteria and EU law more generally in its polities and politics, benefitting from EU funds, and defending its language as an official language of the EU. In concise contributions, the authors – with diverse scholarly backgrounds and hailing from Slovenia and abroad – assess these aspects and share their perspectives on Slovenia's experiences after 20 years of full EU membership.

This open access book deals with the backsliding of the rule of law in Poland and Hungary as one of the main problems of the EU. What began as a national phenomenon has become a general threat for the EU because the respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for all other values of the EU enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. Media coverage and scholarly publications on these developments mainly focus on backsliding governments and judicial decisions concerning the issue. This book aims to inform the debate by adding another perspective and providing a broader view. Drawing on a comprehensive collection of parliamentary debates, we explore how MPs in Poland, Hungary, but also the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania referred to the rule of law from 1990 to 2021 and how their narratives differed across parties, countries and time.

This open access book deals with the backsliding of the rule of law in Poland and Hungary as one of the main problems of the EU. What began as a national phenomenon has become a general threat for the EU because the respect for the rule of law is a prerequisite for all other values of the EU enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on European Union. Media coverage and scholarly publications on these developments mainly focus on backsliding governments and judicial decisions concerning the issue. This book aims to inform the debate by adding another perspective and providing a broader view. Drawing on a comprehensive collection of parliamentary debates, we explore how MPs in Poland, Hungary, but also the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Romania referred to the rule of law from 1990 to 2021 and how their narratives differed across parties, countries and time.

This book aims to explore the perceptions of the EU integration by the young population in its “periphery”. It thereby bridges the gap between perceptions studies, youth studies, and the center-periphery conceptual framework. The chapters in the volume make use of data generated from focus group meetings with university students aged between 18-30 (which is the age range generally used by the European Social Survey to group young citizens) in Romania, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia and Turkiye.

This book aims to explore the perceptions of the EU integration by the young population in its “periphery”. It thereby bridges the gap between perceptions studies, youth studies, and the center-periphery conceptual framework. The chapters in the volume make use of data generated from focus group meetings with university students aged between 18-30 (which is the age range generally used by the European Social Survey to group young citizens) in Romania, Kosovo, Albania, North Macedonia, Georgia and Turkiye.

The book deals with the urgent need for the EU to position itself globally in the wake of Brexit, a rapidly worsening climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, an aggressive Russia, and an ever more assertive China. After 60 years of intensive navel gazing that focused on institutional design more than world politics, the EU is now forced to defend its liberal democratic values, which have come under attack from inside and outside the European integration project. Moreover, Realpolitik is back on the agenda. Europe’s content negligence of defense matters in the past few decades has been revealed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

The book deals with the urgent need for the EU to position itself globally in the wake of Brexit, a rapidly worsening climate crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic, an aggressive Russia, and an ever more assertive China. After 60 years of intensive navel gazing that focused on institutional design more than world politics, the EU is now forced to defend its liberal democratic values, which have come under attack from inside and outside the European integration project. Moreover, Realpolitik is back on the agenda. Europe’s content negligence of defense matters in the past few decades has been revealed by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine.

One of the main questions addressed in this book is whether the EU enlargement fatigue has resulted in broken promises leading to a “commitment fatigue” among the EU candidate states from Western Balkans. Until recently, political and business leaders from Western Balkans, almost without exception, have repeatedly highlighted their aspirations for joining the Union. The discussions about future of Europe would be incomplete, without investigating the relations between EU and Western Balkans. This book addresses academic researchers, policy makers, and higher education students.

One of the main questions addressed in this book is whether the EU enlargement fatigue has resulted in broken promises leading to a “commitment fatigue” among the EU candidate states from Western Balkans. Until recently, political and business leaders from Western Balkans, almost without exception, have repeatedly highlighted their aspirations for joining the Union. The discussions about future of Europe would be incomplete, without investigating the relations between EU and Western Balkans. This book addresses academic researchers, policy makers, and higher education students.

Released shortly after the 2024 European Parliament elections, this book gathers contributions that analyze the elections from various perspectives. The main objective is to offer a timely assessment of different facets such as electoral systems, electoral campaigns, the public perception of the elections, the role of European parties, determinants of voting behavior, and the consequences of the electoral results for European governance. In addition to analyses from European studies, perspectives from other (sub)disciplines and research areas, such as election, party, communication and governance research, are featured in the volume. The authors, which consist of accomplished academics and civil society actors, present a highly diverse range of analyses, individually very rich and based on solid original research. Taken together, their contributions offer the reader a comprehensive understanding of the issues, parties, and mechanisms behind the European elections of 2024.

This open access book explains why representative democracies need political trust and legitimacy: Political trust is a crucial yet underestimated element in Europe’s representative democracies. A trusting relationship between citizens and the institutions of the state ensures the functioning of democratic systems, reduces transaction costs and facilitates the justification of political decisions. Without the commitment of a critical mass, democratic governments cannot gain legitimacy among the populace. While a stable relationship of trust between citizens and the state through political parties is a prerequisite for representative democracies in normal times, it is even more important in times of significant democratic change and turmoil, i.e., when democracies are in flux. Accordingly, the contributions gathered here examine political trust and legitimacy in Europe using a new conceptual framework – the ActEU conceptual triangle, which draws on citizens’ political attitudes, their political participation, and the representation of their political preferences to map and assess the decline of political trust and legitimacy in Europe.

Parliamentary committees play a decisive role in lawmaking, yet their internal dynamics remain largely unexplored in political science - particularly when it comes to voting behavior. This book breaks new ground by systematically analyzing committee-level voting in the European Parliament (EP), drawing on an original dataset that covers the EP’s 8th legislative term (2014 - 2019). It offers the first comprehensive empirical assessment of how consensus, cohesion and coherence emerge within committees and how these dynamics shape legislative outcomes. Through rigorous analysis, the book reveals how internal committee decisions influence the EP’s institutional role, legislative efficiency, and democratic legitimacy. It situates the EP—characterized by strong committees and exceptional transparency—within comparative parliamentary research and uses it as a lens to explore broader questions of legislative governance within the European Union and beyond. By linking empirical findings to key theoretical debates, this book contributes to a deeper understanding of legislative behavior, institutional negotiation, and the evolving nature of parliamentary democracy. As such, it is an essential resource for scholars of EU politics, legislative studies, and institutional theory.