A Cosmopolitan Power Elite? Socialization and Ad-Hoc Cooperation in EU Public Affairs

This article explores the role of socialization in shaping ad-hoc cooperation among public affairs organizations in Brussels. Building on elitist theory and responding to populist critiques of a detached “Brussels bubble,” it investigates whether shared identity markers—such as common university backgrounds, public affairs experience, and native language—facilitate collaboration among lobbying professionals. The analysis distinguishes between two pathways: a cosmopolitan route, anchored in elite, transnational socialization, and a communitarian route, grounded in shared national and cultural backgrounds. Using a dyadic dataset of lobbying efforts targeting European Commission cabinets (2019–2024), we test these expectations through mixed-effects logistic regression. Data from the EU Transparency Register and desk research on over 2,500 lobbying professionals show that both cosmopolitan and communitarian socialization markers foster cooperation. These findings reveal how informal ties and social embeddedness shape interest group collaboration—raising broader questions about elite cohesion, patterns of exclusion, and democratic representation in EU public affairs.