Technocrats and ‘Party Politicians' in Governing Institutions

Abstract

In the last decades a pronounced tendency towards an increasing ‘technocratisation’ of European politics emerged, which probably gained more visibility in the recent context of crisis. This trend is clearly seen in the rise of “experts” (i.e. people having highly specialised competences and without an effective political background) among the governing elites, more and more often managing influential ministerial portfolios or leading cabinets, as well as in the predominant approach to policy-making. This panel attempts to discuss the causes of this phenomenon and to assess its real extent and impact, exploring the possible consequences for democratic politics. Papers dealing both with theoretical problems and with empirical analysis are welcome.