The influence of Europarties on Central and Eastern European partner parties: a theoretical and analytical model

Abstract

This article provides a comprehensive theoretical model for analysing the influence of European party federations (Europarties) on their Central and Eastern European (CEE) partner parties. It draws on the concepts of Europeanization and party change and is, in principle, applicable to similar processes of party enlargement elsewhere. In the process of their Eastern enlargement, Europarties have searched for suitable CEE partner parties on which they have tried to exert influence. Thus far, little is known about the precise mechanisms involved and the actual impact of these processes. We argue that Europarty influence leads to party change on the side of the CEE partners, which brings about ‘West-Europeanization’. Europarties are expected to apply a double strategy that consists of a process of political exchange based on a largely asymmetric power relationship in favour of Europarties and a socialization strategy in which Europarties try to socialize their partners and convince them of the appropriateness of change. We present the theoretical and analytical tools for the analysis of the arguably largest extension of transnational party organizations, which provides ample testing ground for more general theories on party change. Furthermore, we present preliminary empirical evidence on the two most important cases, namely the European People's Party and the Party of European Socialists, which indicates that Europarties played an important role in the development of CEE parties and party systems in general.

MEP Responses to Democratic Backsliding in Hungary and Poland. An Analysis of Agenda‐Setting and Voting Behaviour

“…Our findings also have important implications for the literature on the influence of European party groups and federations on national partner parties in CEE countries. In line with scholarship on Europeanization (Schimmelfennig and Sedelmeier, ), this literature assumed that European party groups were able to ‘Westeuropeanize’ CEE parties by the exchange of material and immaterial resources as well as through socialization processes (Delsoldato, ; Lewis and Mansfeldová, ; von dem Berge and Poguntke, ). Today we see that European party groups have been reluctant to enforce adherence to liberal democratic norms as they are incentivized to maximize their number of seats in the EP – the suspension of the Slovak Direction‐Social Democracy (SMER‐SD) by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (PES/S&D) is an exception to this rule (Haughton, ).…”

“…Today we see that European party groups have been reluctant to enforce adherence to liberal democratic norms as they are incentivized to maximize their number of seats in the EP – the suspension of the Slovak Direction‐Social Democracy (SMER‐SD) by the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (PES/S&D) is an exception to this rule (Haughton, ). In the case of Fidesz and the EPP it seems that the size of Fidesz in the EP and as a a player in the Council has led the EPP to ‘accept a difficult, that is, not very compatible, partner among its ranks’ (von dem Berge and Poguntke, , p. 320).…”

Money, Margins and the Motors of Politics: The EU and the Development of Party Politics in Central and Eastern Europe

“…A good way of illustrating this phenomenon is examining the role of transnational party actors (TPA). Many scholars suggested that TPA played a significant role during the accession process, especially in the states Vachudova saw as ‘illiberal’ (for example, Pridham, ; Spirova, ), not least offering to those parties linked to TPAs ‘financial and material resources, expertise and legitimacy’ (Von dem Berge and Poguntke, , p. 312). Even those who suggest a more limited impact see TPA as playing the role of a ‘badge of approval’ or kite mark (Haughton and Rybář, ).…”

Forging enmities and friendships: Europarties, electoral coalitions and mergers in Central and Eastern Europe

“…The rationalist external incentives and constructivist socialisation models of Europeanisation (Schimmelfennig and Sedelmeier, 2005;Sedelmier, 2011;Vachudova, 2005;von dem Berge and Poguntke, 2013) suggest the mechanisms through the Europarties might be able to influence electoral coalitions and mergers in Central and Eastern Europe. The external incentives model, building on the "logic of consequences" (Hall and Taylor, 1996), posits that the Europarty provides various resources to CEE parties in exchange for them following the recommendations of the Europarty on on cooperating with some parties but not others.…”