The EU Facing Change in Immigration and Socio-Economic Policies: Investigating Sovereignty Issues

Abstract

Against the background of its lacking democratic legitimacy, the EU has had to face the conjunction of two major shocks since the end of the 2000s. On the one hand, the financial crisis originating in the US in 2008 has brought about a historical recession and, subsequently, the welfare deterioration for an important number of European citizens and the exacerbation of existing social inequalities. On the other hand, the Syrian conflict combined with lasting conflicts and dire economic conditions in many African countries has led to an unprecedented wave of migrations into Europe and shed light on the rudimentary nature of the EU policies related to border protection, the Schengen area and asylum. While raising very different policy challenges, these two issues raise common theoretical puzzles and research questions. This panel focuses especially on how sovereignty has come under tension against a background of increased interdependence both at the economic and territorial level. The powers of parliaments vis-à-vis executives to decide on these matters, the weakened autonomy of national governments and the capacity of EU institutions to propose efficient responses have been at the heart of heated debates. The popular acceptance of new policies has equally been key as reactionary populist forces are significantly on the rise across Europe. All papers gathered here share the premise that issues surrounding sovereignty can no longer be reduced to the opposition between nation states and the EU. Through case studies related to immigration and the socio-economic recession, they investigate the multi-directional conflicts between four types of sovereignty: national, supranational, parliamentary and popular. Thus, the purpose of the panel is to shed light on which types of sovereignty have been weakened or strengthened (and how) over the past ten years and which actors are driving these changes.

Title	Details
How do Populist Parties Deal with Conflicts of Sovereignty? A Comparative Analysis of Podemos, the Five Star Movement, UKIP and Front National	View Paper Details
In the Name of the People? Popular Sovereignty and the 2015 Greek Referendum	View Paper Details
The Court of Justice of the EU, Supranational Sovereignty and the EMU Crisis	View Paper Details
The New European Border and Coast Guard Agency: Pooling Sovereignties or Giving It Up?	View Paper Details