Centre for the Study of Public Policy www'abdn'ac'ukcspp

1
Centre for the Study of Public Policywww.abdn.ac.
uk/cspp
CSPP
1. EPOP (Elections, Public Opinion Parties)
Conference Glasgow 29 August 2009 THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT ELECTION IN A MULTI-LEVEL
CONTEXT Elite Stratarchy or a Democratic,
Integrated European Party System? PROFESSOR
RICHARD ROSE Centre for the Study of Public
Policy University of Aberdeen www.abdn.ac.uk/cspp
(A paper launching a new project with Dr.
Patrick Bernhagen of U. of Aberdeen on
REPRESENTING EUROPEANS, funded by ESRC grant RES
062-23-1892 for 2.5 years)
EPOP.ppt 17.8.09 1400
2

• 2.
• DEFINING TERMS
• Context Governance at multiple levels local,
  regional, national, European
• Elite stratarchy EU level is horizontal and
  separate from other levels.
• Checks-and-balances accountability among elites
• Democratic Elites accountable to popularly
  elected representatives
• Integrated Institutionalized links between
  European and national party systems

3

• 3.
• A DEMOCRATIC PARLIAMENT?
• Democratic
• One person, one vote for all European citizens
• Unequal representation by states--and 19 states
  over- represented
• A federal principle in a unicameral Parliament
• Accountable within a stratarchy of
• Council of Ministers composed of states
• EP Run by Party Groups of MEPs elected
  nationally
• European Commission Executive branch of elite
  stratarchy

4

• 4.
• SUPPLY-SIDE VIEW OF PARTY SYSTEMS
• Can't have a party system without a supply of
  parties
• Multilevel democracies can have different party
  systems at each level
• European identity of voters neither necessary
  nor sufficient
• 2nd order status of EP ballot encourages
  different system of competition
• Parties that are comparable are not thereby
  systematically integrated
• An integrated European party system would
  require
• Trans-national central organization with
  political leadership
• Fighting elections Europe wide

5

• 5.
• NATIONAL PARTIES FIGHT EP ELECTIONS
• AS NATIONAL PARTIES
• Electoral system national
• National parties control nomination on national
  grounds.
• New parties sometimes appear and win seats,
  Dutch Freedom
• More often, distribution of votes different eg,
  England 2005/2009

6

• 6.
• INSTITUTIONALIZATION OF EP PARTY CLUBS
• A Parliament of 736 MEPs requires organization
• Organizing principle that of trans-national
  party clubs conferring influence, patronage and
  material benefits on MEPs belonging to a club
• Larger EP Clubs tend to be stable from one
  Parliament to the next
• Larger EP Clubs tend to be cohesive in EP voting
  
• An absolute majority in EP requires a coalition
  of three or more parties

7
Figure 1 IMPERFECTLY EUROPEAN COVERAGE OF EP
PARTY CLUBS
PASD EPPCD ALDE Green CGEUL EFD
Ind. ECR
Source European Parliament, 2009. Your MEPs By
Country and Political Group, http//www.europarl.e
uropa.eu/members/expert/ groupAndCountry.do?langua
geEN (accessed 17 August 2009).
8
Figure 2 FAILURE TO MOBILIZE A EUROPEAN ELECTORATE
Mean for participating countries
Total EU electorate
N countries (9) (10) (12)
(12) (15) (25)
(27)
Source Calculated from data in European
Parliament, 2009. Turnout at European Elections.
http//www.europarl.europa.eu/parliament/archive/
elections2009/en/turnout_en.html (accessed 28
July 2009)
9
Table 1. DISTRIBUTION OF ELECTORS IN
MULTI-LEVEL ROLES

ELECTORATE VOTERS Nat'l EP
Same Integrated same party
34 47 63 Fully disengaged non-voter
22 n.a. n.a. Different Splits
votes between parties 14 20 26 Only voted
nationally 24 33 n.a. Only voted EP
6 n.a. 11
Source Calculated from analysis of 2004
European Election Study by Hermann Schmitt,
Alberto Sanz, and Daniela Braun (2008) Table 1,
weighted by EU population.
10

• 10.
• EXPRESSIVE AND INSTRUMENTAL VOTING
• Expressive, sincere, moral vs. instrumental
  motives
• Expressive more likely at EP as government of
  Europe not at stake
• What is being expressed?
• Dissatisfaction with government
• Left/ right preferences Germany, 2009
• Pro/ anti-EU views subordinated in national
  elections UKIP
• Preference for national culture Freedom
  parties NL, AT

11
Figure 3 CULTURAL AS WELL AS INSTRUMENTAL
TENSIONS IN EUROPE TODAY
Q25. In all countries there sometimes exists
tension between social groups. In your opinion,
how much tension is there between each of the
following groups in this country? A lot of
tension Some tension No tension a. Poor and
rich people b. Management and workers e.
Different racial and ethnic groups f. Different
religious groups
( saying a lot of tension)
Source Richard Rose and Kenneth Newton,
Evaluating Qualities of Society and Public
Services, Figure 8.1. Dublin European Foundation
for the Improvement of Living and Working
Conditions, forthcoming.
12

• 12.
• FEEDBACK AND KICKBACKS?
• Intermestic issues (international domestic)
  now vertically integrating levels of government,
• Kickback to national party systems
• EP survey says EP non-voting shows no confidence
  in politics at all levels
• In 2009 significant expressive vote in at least
  half of countries
• EU responses Legitimation without elections
• More technocratic effectiveness. NB European
  Constitution, Lisbon Treaty composed by states
  or their nominees
• Organizing more participatory democracy. Cf.
  Schattschneider
• Legitimation through more democracy ?
• National parties and politicians defend their
  national stratarchy