Abstract

The analysis of how differentiated integration is discussed in Italian politics returned two clear results. Firstly, the topic is not very salient in the period of time considered (2002-2020) and there is no clear trend overtime. Salience peaked around specific key events such as Treaty changes (2004-2005: Constitution, 2007-2008: Lisbon) and debates on the future of Europe (2016-2019). Secondly, despite the low saliency of the issue, Italian governments appear to hold a clear and coherent position on this issue. Italy supports the multi-end DI model and favours tools such as enhanced co-operation. In particular, after Brexit, Italian governments saw this tool as the solution to keep the EU together while moving forward with the integration process and keeping Italy in ‘core Europe.’ On the contrary, a multi-speed Europe is strongly opposed by Italian politicians, who fear that their country might be among those left behind if such a model of integration is implemented.

Highlights

  • This report investigates the salience of differentiated integration (DI) in Italian government discourse between 2004 and 2019

  • The salience analyses show that differentiated integration (DI) was a low salience issue in Italy between 2004 and 2020

  • There is no clear trend over time, as salience peaked around specific key events such as Treaty changes (2004-2005: Constitution, 2007-2008: Lisbon) and debates on the future of Europe (2016-2019)

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Summary

Salience

The salience analyses show that differentiated integration (DI) was a low salience issue in Italy between 2004 and 2020. There is no clear trend over time, as salience peaked around specific key events such as Treaty changes (2004-2005: Constitution, 2007-2008: Lisbon) and debates on the future of Europe (2016-2019). Most references to DI were related to a specific DI model (multi-end Europe, and in particular to the concept of ‘core Europe’) and a precise DI mechanism (i.e. enhanced co-operation). Parliamentary debates were usually the arena for discussions on DI. References to DI in government programmes, prime minister speeches and European Council statements were rarer

Position
Introduction
The salience of DI
Government programmes
Prime minister speeches
The following cabinets are instead missing
Parliamentary debates
European Council statements
Quantitative overview of government positions
Qualitative assessment of government positions
The governments’ positions
Findings
The opposition’s position
Full Text
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