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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies

European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

TOWARDS A TRANS-NATIONAL PARTY SYSTEM Prof. Luciano Bardi Prof. Peter Mair
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EUDO Dissemination Conference Brussels, 18-19 November 2010


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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Research on Transnational Party System


In November 2009, OPPR was awarded a tender from the European Parliaments Constitutional Affairs Committee, to produce a report on the Development of a Transnational Party System in Europe. The report, submitted in August and published by the EP in October, analyses the factors that could affect the development of a full-fledged party system at EU level
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

The Report
The reportis composed of 4 parts, each one addressing a structural feature of the EU party system: 1. 2. 3. 4. Homogeneity in ideological positioning Practices of candidates selection Political cultures and party organization Convergence in party financing and electoral laws
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Homogeneity in ideological positioning


For the prospect of the EU democracy, homogeneous political groups are crucial in providing the European voters with a meaningful programmatic supply The requirement of political affinities to form a Group is a necessary but not sufficient condition to guarantee tcoherent political cultures The impact of the Big Bang enlargement on the cohesion of the Political Groups has been quite limited; The main political Groups have cohesive and welldetectable positions on left-right policies
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Practices of Candidates Selection


The lack of uniformity in candidate selection within the EU party families may constitute an obstacle to effective trans-nationalisation The more de-centralised and inclusive the candidate selection, the greater the possibility for MEPs to vote in accordance with their EP party group, rather than with their national party The most common procedures adopted for MEP candidate selection relies on the role of the party executive and party conference, with more than 86% of all the proposals emanating from the national level.
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Political Cultures and Organization


The wide variety in the numbers of parties at national level, and the presence of two or more national political parties within the same EP group can hinder the development of a single EU party system The fact that all the major Europarties are subjected to the same legal regime may favour the development of a EU party system; The building of a trans-national party system is conditioned by the differences in political cultures and by the perception of the EP elections as second-order contests.
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Party Financing and Electoral Laws


The proposed transnational constituency could foster closer party co-operation at EU level, by promoting genuine transnational campaigning and EU level party programmes Preferential voting implemented at EU level could have a positive impact on the development of the PPELs; A strong EU level system of party financing could promote organisational convergence Despite the positive incentives provided by EC Reg. 2004/2003, PPELs remain subordinate to their national components and the EP Groups
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Study Conclusions
The development of transnational parties is a necessary but not sufficient condition for the development of a transnational party system; Main problem: lack of competition between the parties for control of executive office Given the current institutional setting, the role of PPELs could be enhanced through activities such as involvement in the ECI; coordinating parliamentary responses in the new procedures regarding subsidiarity violations; proposing and standing by their own candidates for the Commission presidency.
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

Future research projects of possible interest:


The relationship between parties at European level and parties in privileged partnership countries Parties as campaign organizations at national and European level Electoral law(s) impact on MEP turnover The impact of electoral law discrepancies on multi-level party systems
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Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies


European Union Democracy Observatory (EUDO)

For further information

http://eudo-oppr.eui.eu

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