Europeanisation of executive–legislative relations: Nordic perspectives

Abstract

To cope with the challenges resulting from EU membership, Nordic parliaments have resorted to well-known national procedures for controlling governments. But they have also introduced new devices to avoid a ‘decline of parliament’, especially by establishing a European Affairs Committee. Inspired by Anthony King's ‘modes of executive–legislative relations’, a systematic analysis shows that the Nordic parliaments, and the Danish parliament in particular, have adjusted their organisation and procedures in predictable ways. Denmark is a case representing a type of parliamentary government characterised by a multi-party system, cohesive parties and minority governments. Such a system is likely to facilitate opposition party influence. It is not certain that the parliament has lost influence. It seems that the impact of the EU on national executive–legislative relations has less to do with the EU than with the national organisation of executive–legislative relations.