Ideological Passion or Marriage of Convenience? The Case of Central European Conservative Eurosceptics and the British Inspiration in Time of EU Crisis

Euroscepticism as a well organised and ideologically consolidated political movement has first developed in Britain, and it is this country which is often attributed with image of contaminating other parts of the European Union with the Eurosceptical stance. Therefore, the paper aims to present empirically-based analysis of the character and extent to which the British influence have been shaping the ideology and programme of conservative Eurosceptical parties in Poland and the Czech Republic. Particular attention shall be paid to the Tory Euroscepticism due to the fact that since 2009 there has been institutionalised co-operation between Polish PiS, Czech ODS and British Conservatives in the form of the European Conservatives and Reformers Group in the European Parliament. Importantly, all three parties were (or are at the moment) the leading parties of government in their respective countries and remain perceived as “awkward partners” in respect of such fundamental EU reforms as the Lisbon Treaty or the Fiscal Pact. This may create an impression that their cooperation has been a manifestation of passionate ideological alliance of Europe’s leading Eurosceptics, and the ultimate prove of attractiveness of British Eurosceptic stance. Hence, first it needs to be considered to what extent the Eurosceptical Tory inspiration illustrates the Central European partners’ respect for the oldest conservative party in Europe and (since Thatcher era) a model reformist party, and to what extent this is a demonstration of an authentic Eurosceptical zeal in the “EU-10”. Secondly, the European policy platforms of the three parties shall be compared. Thirdly, the counter-arguments pointing out that there were important reasons of pragmatic nature behind the three-party cooperation and the ECR’s creation shall by analysed (e.g. the need to differentiate from the competing parties in respective countries before series of elections in both countries scheduled for 2010-2011).