Domestic Politics and the Widening-Deepening Trade-Off in the European Union
Christina J. Schneider
Journal of European Public Policy, Vol. 21, No. 5. (April, 2014), pp. 699-712.
Abstract
This paper analyzes the relationship between European Union (EU) enlargement, preference heterogeneity of EU members, and cooperation in the EU. I argue that the widening of the EU does not invariably present an obstacle to cooperation. Preference heterogeneity in the Council is not only affected by the accession of new member states, but it also fluctuates over time due to changes in the domestic political arena. In European countries, governmental coalitions have changed frequently with important consequences for the ability of EU members to negotiate deeper integration. To test the theoretical hypotheses, I analyze to what extent the changing bargaining dynamics in the Council owing to domestic political circumstances as compared to the accession of new member states itself have affected the cooperation between EU member states over time.Keywords:
EU, widening-deepening, domestic politics