This book assesses the many changes that have occurred within the European Parliament and in its external relations since the Lisbon treaty (2009) and the last European elections (2014). It is undoubtedly the institution that has evolved the most since the 1950s. Despite the many crises experienced by European integration in the last years, the Parliament is still undergoing important changes in its formal competences, its influence on policy-making, its relations with other EU institutions, its internal organisation and its internal political dynamics. Every contribution deals with the most recent aspects of these evolutions and addresses overlooked topics, providing an overview of the current state of play which challenges the mainstream intergovernmental approach of the EU. This project results from research conducted at the Department of European Political and Governance Studies of the College of Europe. Individual research of several policy analysts of the European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) have contributed to this endeavour.

The book provides an in-depth analysis of Eurosceptics’ strategies in the European Parliament. It explores the paradoxical situation of Eurosceptic MEPs: particularly successful during EP elections, how then, once elected, do they operate in a political system they oppose? This book analyses how Eurosceptic MEPs conceive and carry out their mandate within the institution. On the basis of more than 100 interviews, it proposes a typology of four strategies developed by these actors. It also explains the diversity of Eurosceptics’ strategies, showing the relevance of the interaction between the institutional context and the individuals’ preferences. With the growing success of Eurosceptic parties and the challenges they pose to the future of integration, this study also reflects on the consequences of their presence for the EP and for the legitimacy of the EU. This book will be of interest to students and scholars of European politics, European integration, comparative politics, legislative studies and political parties.

The European Parliament in the Contested Union provides a systematic assessment of the real influence of the European Parliament (EP) in policy-making. Ten years after the coming into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, which significantly empowered Europe’s only directly elected institution, the contributions collected in this volume analyse whether, and under what conditions, the EP has been able to use its new powers and shape decisions. Going beyond formal or normative descriptions of the EP’s powers, this book provides an up-to-date and timely empirical assessment of the role of the EP in the European Union, focusing on key cases such as the reforms of the EU’s economic governance and asylum policy, the Brexit negotiations and the budget. The book challenges and qualifies the conventional view that the EP has become more influential after Lisbon. It shows that the influence of the EP is conditional on the salience of the negotiated policy for the Member States. When EU legislation touches upon ‘core state powers’, as well as when national financial resources are at stake, the role of the EP – notwithstanding its formal powers – is more constrained and its influence more limited. This book provides fresh light on the impact of the EP and its role in a more contested and politicised European Union. Bringing together an international team of top scholars in the field and analysing a wealth of new evidence, The European Parliament in the Contested Union challenges conventional explanations on the role of the EP, tracking down empirically its impact on key policies and processes. It will be of great interest to scholars of the European Union, European politics and policy-making. The chapters were originally published as a special issue of the Journal of European Integration.

Is Euroscepticism still suited to analyze the variegated nature of opposition to the EU? Starting from this question, this book critically reviews Euroscepticism, reconceptualizes it in terms of political opposition and discovers, disentangles and explains patterns of EU-opposition within the European Parliament (EP). Distinguishing between “what the EU does” and “what the EU is”, the research elaborates an index of parties’ positioning “measuring” it through the speeches that parties’ deliver in the EP. The EP is the “perfect laboratory” where decisions concerning EU-policies are taken and the future EU-trajectories are shaped. Besides delineating a set of guidelines categorizing parties, the book concludes that their positioning varies along two main axes: the pro-anti-EU-system and the pro-anti-EU-establishment. From a normative perspective, the research argues for the growing importance of the “cumulation hypothesis”: if criticism remains unheard within the European elitist construct, such criticism will transform itself into rejection.

An examination of executive actors' accountability for EU economic decisions in the aftermath of the euro crisis.

This book analyses nearly 100 original interviews with Members of the European Parliament from across the European Union who were active between 1979 and 2019. These interviews, preserved in the Historical Archives of the European Union at the European University Institute, capture the memories of the MEPs about their own roles and their assessment of what the parliament achieved in developing a European parliamentary democracy in the forty years following the first direct elections. The book offers a taste of the interviews in ten chapters, each of which corresponds to a specific theme presented in the archive: choosing the parliament, working inside the parliament machine, living inside the political groups, playing a part in major moments, influencing and shaping policy, scrutinizing and holding to account, making a mark beyond the EU, communicating the work of the parliament, keeping in touch with national societies, and looking to the future.

This book explains when and how interest groups are influential in the European Parliament, which has become one of the most important lobbying venues in the EU. Yet we know little about the many ways in which interest groups and lobbyists influence parliamentary politics. The author offers insights on four key cases of lobbying, based on the analysis of EU documents, lobbying letters, and 150 interviews. She argues that lobbying success depends on a number of factors, most notably the degree of counter-lobbying, issue salience, and committee receptiveness. These factors are brought together in the framework of “Triple-I” - interests, issues, and institutions – to determine the success or failure of lobbying. This book will be of use to students and scholars interested in EU politics and governance, EU decision-making, and interest group politics, along with policy-makers and practitioners.

Legislatures are arguably the most important political institution in modern democracies. The Oxford Handbook of Legislative Studies, written by some of the most distinguished legislative scholars in political science, provides a comprehensive and up-to-date description and critical assessment of the state of the art in this key area.

DESCRIPTION AND COMMENTS BY POLITICAL LEADERS: How do you gain influence and publicity in the European Parliament? How do you compete successfully with the Council and the Commission? How can you use reporters and lobbyists to advance your political career? How to Run the European Parliament offers a unique look behind the scenes and reveals the secret tactics and manoeuvres Members of the European Parliament need to master in order to prevail. This brutally honest tutorial is a must-read for all MEPs, assistants, public servants, lobbyists, and journalists who want to understand how power politics is played. JACEK SARYUSZ-WOLSKI | Vice-President of the European People''s Party "Achieving success as an MEP, both nationally and within the EU, requires many skills - mastering the nuances of the legislative process, negotiating with impact, building networks, maximizing support and votes, organizing day-to-day functioning with optimal results, and many more. Marilyn Political''s insightful tutorial captures these nuances in one book that every aspiring MEP and his collaborators should read." ALEXANDER GRAF LAMBSDORFF | Vice-President of the European Parliament "Unique and impressive. An absolute must-read for all new Members of the European Parliament." PETRI SARVAMAA | Vice-Chair of the European Parliament''s Committee on Budgets "Astonishing read! It''s merciless, unforgiving, and so true. As an MEP I could not imagine a better guide into ways of influencing political decision-making in Brussels. I regularly go back to the advice of the book. And I make sure all my advisers and assistants know the text by heart." MARKUS FERBER | Vice-Chair of the European Parliament''s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs "How to Run the European Parliament provides an informed insight on what happens behind the curtains. From negotiation strategies to shaping public perceptions - this book is the perfect read if you want to gain an in-depth understanding of how European policy making actually works." LINN�A ENGSTR�M | Vice-Chair of the European Parliament''s Committee on Fisheries "This book will teach you the mind-set and psychology of the European Parliament. Being a European politician means: relying on good advisers and having the confidence and strength to be patient, generous, and trustworthy. The road to success lies in hard work - and making the right choices. This book will give you exactly the push you need, and the direction to set you on the right path." ANDREY NOVAKOV | Member of the European Parliament "One of the most get-to-the-point, useful, and must-have political books I have in my library." IVAN STEFANEC | Member of the European Parliament "The book is a very useful and enjoyable reading, particularly for newcomers to the European Parliament. It is a good overview of parliamentarian activities. It reassured me about what I was doing right and where I should improve." JON�S FERN�NDEZ | Member of the European Parliament "This book makes for fascinating - and funny - reading. More importantly, it is quite useful, particularly for newcomers. I highly recommend it to any new MEP as absolutely essential. It provides quite a number of practical suggestions, and not to be underestimated, a fair amount of laughing, something that should never be in short supply when working at the European Parliament." SANDER LOONES | Vice-Chair of the European Parliament''s Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs "The European House of Cards, but with a healthy portion of pragmatism." LOOK INSIDE THE BOOK: www.marilynpolitical.com/publications

A substantially revised and updated new edition of this highly-successful and ground-breaking text which analyzes the EU as a political system using the methods of comparative political science.