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"The Santer Commission resignation crisis: Government-opposition dynamics in executive-legislative relations of the EU"

Ringe, Nils F. (2003) "The Santer Commission resignation crisis: Government-opposition dynamics in executive-legislative relations of the EU". In: UNSPECIFIED, Nashville, TN. (Unpublished)

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    Abstract

    The paper argues that the crisis leading to the resignation of the Santer Commission in March 1999 was the result of an unprecedented intensification of party competition in the EP, based on a government-opposition dynamic that was also observable at an inter-institutional level. It employs the theoretical literature on executive-legislative relations, especially with regard to "government" and "opposition" modes, and considers the relationships between the Commission, EP Socialists, and EP Christian-Democrats. The paper is based on fifty-two interviews, primarily with Members of the European Parliament, EP officials, and Commission officials. It also quantitatively analyzes MEP voting behavior throughout the crisis. The paper identifies the government-opposition dynamic as a potential factor underlying political competition in the European sphere. It also maintains that government and opposition modes may converge and co-vary at national and EU levels; "opposition" in the context of the EU can have several simultaneous targets: Commission, Council, and national governments. Accordingly, the paper suggests that there may be an overlap between "national" and "partisan" politics in the EU. In this sense, this paper helps determine where, when, and how the pro-/anti-integration dimension meets the left-right divide.

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    Item Type: Conference or Workshop Item (UNSPECIFIED)
    Subjects for non-EU documents: EU policies and themes > EU institutions & developments > European Parliament
    EU policies and themes > Policies & related activities > political affairs > political parties
    EU policies and themes > EU institutions & developments > institutional development/policy > general
    EU policies and themes > EU institutions & developments > European Commission
    Subjects for EU documents: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Series and Periodicals: UNSPECIFIED
    EU Annual Reports: UNSPECIFIED
    Conference: European Union Studies Association (EUSA) > Biennial Conference > 2003 (8th), March 27-29, 2003
    Depositing User: Phil Wilkin
    Official EU Document: No
    Language: English
    Date Deposited: 25 Feb 2005
    Page Range: p. 51
    Last Modified: 15 Feb 2011 17:24
    URI: http://aei.pitt.edu/id/eprint/2919

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