Ontological crises, framing and the (de)politicisation of EU foreign policy: the case of EU-Israel relations

Abstract

This article analyses how non-state actors (NSAs) and foreign states contribute to the (de)politicisation of EU foreign policy. It shows that the link between crises and politicisation in EU foreign policy is mediated by the frames and the strategies that NSAs employ when lobbying the EU. By pointing to inconsistencies between EU actions and its claimed identity, they challenge the EU’s foundational narrative, creating ontological crises which can potentially become politicised. When actors employ a legal/technical frame and an inside strategy, the crisis tends to be depoliticised. In contrast, politicisation occurs when a political/emotional frame is combined with noisy politics that targets the public at large. Based on documentary analysis and interviews with EU officials and NSAs, this argument is discussed with reference to EU foreign policy vis-à-vis the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a key issue on the EU’s foreign policy agenda.