Morality politics in the European parliament. A qualitative insight into MEPs’ voting behaviour on abortion and human embryonic stem cell research

Abstract

The literature on morality politics is well-documented, but has mostly taken place at the national level. Yet, morality politics increasingly appears on the European Parliament's agenda. Abortion has been tackled through parliamentary reports on sexual and reproductive health and rights; while human embryonic stem cell research has been dealt with through the successive European research framework programmes. Using semi-structured interviews with (former) MEPs, this research examines how the central actors involved in these parliamentary debates perceive and explain their vote on these issues. The analysis particularly focuses on the role of religion and values, and uncovers its effects at several levels: national culture, political affiliation and personal believing. In that regard, respondents emphasise the great degree of freedom that the European parliamentary arena offers to its members to express their personal values and convictionsand not exclusively on morality issues.

‘Ethno, Ethno, What?’: Using Ethnography to Explore the European Parliament’s Political Groups in Turbulent Times

“…Observation provides richer insights than interviews conducted in calmer, controlled environments. Furthermore, researchers have struggled to recruit participants to discuss some interview topics, such as those around morality issues, particularly for those positioned on the conservative side of the parliament, and MEPs tend not to refer to their behaviour but to their colleagues' (Mondo & Close, 2018, p. 1006.…”

United in Crisis: Abortion Politics in the European Parliament and Political Groups' Disputes over EU Values

“…For instance, it recommended access to safe and legal abortion services for all, but also highlighted the physical and psychological health risks supposedly involved with abortion. Following its adoption at the committee level with only a few amendments, the resolution was adopted in plenary by 280 votes in favour, 240 against and 28 abstentions (Mondo and Close, 2019). Passed before the 2004 enlargement, global and European anti‐choice organizations targeted the text as they believed it imposed the legalization of abortion on EU candidate countries (Zacharenko, 2020).…”

European Morality Politics in the European Union: The Case of Prostitution

“…Their influence is thus bound to take place in the form of a cumulative regulatory evolution. EU actors may play their part as mediators, mainly through soft law instruments which impose no legal obligation on member states but organize the circulation of best practices and connect experts and grassroots practitioners across national borders and policy sectors (Mondo and Close 2018). Prostitution offers a showcase study to assess the relevance of these specific features of EMP regarding an issue that challenges the sovereignty of member states, the usual coalitions of civil society and the balance between social rights and market.…”

“…The emergence of prostitution on the political agenda of the EU is not an isolated case, however, but has taken place alongside the emergence of other morality issues. The EU's largely technocratic nature, its focus on consensus-building based on knowledge and expertise, its lack of competences on the matter and its respect for pluralism and diversity have tended to keep morality issues at bay (Mondo and Close 2018). Since the 1990s, however, the EU has been creeping competences into new policy domains, such as non-discrimination, human rights or scientific research, which often include morality issues (Foret and Littoz-Monnet 2014).…”