Domestic parties and european integration: the problem of party attitudes to the EU, and the europeanisation of parties

Abstract

In this article, I address the problem of party attitudes towards European integration and show its relevance for research on Europeanisation. I discuss the interaction between domestic parties and the European issue and propose a framework for the analysis of two alternative arguments: either Europe as an issue has been internalised by party systems and absorbed into the main patterns of party competition or, alternatively, Europe has had a disruptive impact on party systems and even resulted in forms of ‘de-partification’.