Political parties - Europe -- Sociology

Indeks : p.230-238 ; This book offers a detailed exploration of how national political parties have responded to the increasing relevance of European governance. It examines the effects of the European Union on the internal organizational dynamics of national political parties. It draws on the results of a major, cross-national project and is based on documentary analysis and some 150 interviews with senior party actors in six EU member states (Austria, Britain, France, Germany, Spain, and Sweden). Situated in the context of the debate on Europeanization, this book illustrates that national political parties have been surprisingly well equipped to handle the challenges of the increasing importance of multi-level governance in Europe. Following a rigourus analytical framework set out in the introduction chapter. It ends with two comparative chapters that analyse the findings from a cross-national perspective and offer theoretical insights into the problem of party government amid increasing European integration.