The Politicisation of the Neighbourhood in the European Parliament: From 2009 to 2014

This article analyses the way the European Parliament (EP) has framed and sought to influence to the EU’s approach towards its neighbours. It achieves this by looking at the way in which the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) and the EU’s approach towards its Eastern and Southern neighbours has been politicized by and in the EP. In doing so, it employs the concept of politicization which captures the process of transporting formerly apolitical issues into the political arena. Through politicization issues are made salient within the public sphere and the political space where collectively binding decision making processes can be developed and instantiated. Empirically, the article uses frame analysis in order to highlight the way in which the EU’s policy towards its neighbourhood was politicized by the EP during the last mandate (2009-2014). The focus on the EP is justified by the fact that it is widely considered to be one the main building blocks for democracy in Europe and the site for politicization of EU politics is more likely to emerge. The EP tried to constructs for itself an enhanced role in pushing for the EU to become a stronger actor in the region.