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Core Issues in European Politics

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Core Issues in European Politics
Core Issues in European Politics

3 Main sources of political conflict in Europe
1. National Interests 2. Ideology 3. Domestic Politics - Most relevant political arena for most politicians - Euroscepticism / Populism

Issue 1: European Finances

Issue 1.1: Debt Crisis
• • • • Public Debt Low growth Ageing + Welfare States Targets of financial speculation: - Portugal, Ireland, Italy, Greece, Spain ('PIIGS')

Issue 1.2: Troubled Banks

Issue 1.3: Welfare State Reform
• Welfare spending too high • Pension systems need reform • Governments are unable to break domestic opposition: very small reforms and deadlock

Issue 1.4: Austerity Measures
• PIIGS, the IMF and the EU • The Netherlands in turmoil? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkVpZhQGsV4 • What’s Next?

Issue 2: European integration

Issue 2.1 The EU integration process
• European Integration: Deepening the Union? • EU Constitutional Treaty 2004 – Rejected • EU Treaties: – Rome 1957 ('TEC') – Maastricht 1992 ('TEU') – Lisbon 2007 • Economic crisis drove financial integration forward • (new agencies, Stability Fund EFSF)

Timeline
1952: Treaty of Paris:European Coal and Steel Community 1957: Treaty of Rome: European Economic Community and European Atomic Energy Community 1973: Denmark, Ireland and the UK 1981: Greece 1986: Single European Act: European Political Cooperation 1986: Portugal and Spain 1992: Treaty of Maastricht: European Union 1995: Finland, Austria and Sweden 2004: Cyprus, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic 2007/09: Treaty of Lisbon 2007: Bulgaria and Romania 2013: Croatia (accepted)

Issue 2.2 Labor Markets & Welfare States
• Labor market access – Immigration – Inter-European labor migration • Welfare state integration – Harmonisation

Issue 2.3: European Money

Total EU Budget

Issue 2.3
• The way forward for Europe – Neoliberal Model: Free market, minimal state intervention. Great Britain – French
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