The Impact of European Integration on Democratic and State Quality in Southern Europe

Abstract

Both inside and outside Southern Europe, there is a widespread perception that European integration has played a key role in upgrading the quality of democracy and of the state in a region traditionally seen as consisting of late democratisers, economic laggards and ineffective governance. This contrasts with Northern Europe, where integration has sometimes been regarded as potentially threatening national democratic achievements. The panel aims to investigate the reality behind the perception, seeking to cast light on the actual extent and the specific ways in which European integration has influenced state and\or democratic quality in Southern Europe, whether positive or negative. A non-exhaustive list of potential topics might include the impact of EU policies, EU-funded programmes or participation in EU decision-making processes on a range of fields such as institutions, political participation and democratic culture; patterns of clientelism or corruption; state-citizen relations; administrative capacity and quality; the state’s role as a promoter of economic development; the effectiveness of public service provision, etc. Another area of interest would be how the EU impact on South European democratic and state quality has been affected by the current crisis. The panel welcomes proposals for comparative or country case studies on the states covered by the ECPR Standing Group on Southern European Politics, i.e., Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, Cyprus, Malta, Bulgaria and Romania.

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