There is an ongoing political debate in the European Union about the state of democracy and the rule of law in two of its member states: Poland and Hungary. Since these issues do not only pertain to the rule of law, but to the fundamental values of the EU in general, it is argued that a "Crisis of EU Fundamental Values" is a more appropriate term than a "Rule of Law Crisis", which is often used. The issues that the governments of Poland and Hungary pose for the EU raise critical questions about the development of the European integration project. This thesis therefore relates this crisis to two important theoretical concepts in the field of European Studies: Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. Through a qualitative framing analysis of 49 opinion articles in Dutch quality newspapers, it is shown that there are fundamental differences in the understanding of the crisis of EU fundamental values between, in this case, a center-leftwing oriented newspaper (De Volkskrant) and a center-rightwing oriented newspaper (NRC Handelsblad). In discussing the issue, De Volkskrant related its readers to Poles and Hungarians through their shared European citizenship and published fundamental criticisms on the European Union, while NRC Handelsblad emphasized differences between Eastern- and Western Europe and urged the EU to defend the liberal democratic status-quo. These differences could have important implications for future research on Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. These implications will be assessed and discussed.
Anotace v angličtině
There is an ongoing political debate in the European Union about the state of democracy and the rule of law in two of its member states: Poland and Hungary. Since these issues do not only pertain to the rule of law, but to the fundamental values of the EU in general, it is argued that a "Crisis of EU Fundamental Values" is a more appropriate term than a "Rule of Law Crisis", which is often used. The issues that the governments of Poland and Hungary pose for the EU raise critical questions about the development of the European integration project. This thesis therefore relates this crisis to two important theoretical concepts in the field of European Studies: Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. Through a qualitative framing analysis of 49 opinion articles in Dutch quality newspapers, it is shown that there are fundamental differences in the understanding of the crisis of EU fundamental values between, in this case, a center-leftwing oriented newspaper (De Volkskrant) and a center-rightwing oriented newspaper (NRC Handelsblad). In discussing the issue, De Volkskrant related its readers to Poles and Hungarians through their shared European citizenship and published fundamental criticisms on the European Union, while NRC Handelsblad emphasized differences between Eastern- and Western Europe and urged the EU to defend the liberal democratic status-quo. These differences could have important implications for future research on Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. These implications will be assessed and discussed.
Klíčová slova
Europeanization, rule of law, European Public Sphere, national mass media, framing
Klíčová slova v angličtině
Europeanization, rule of law, European Public Sphere, national mass media, framing
Rozsah průvodní práce
80 p.
Jazyk
AN
Anotace
There is an ongoing political debate in the European Union about the state of democracy and the rule of law in two of its member states: Poland and Hungary. Since these issues do not only pertain to the rule of law, but to the fundamental values of the EU in general, it is argued that a "Crisis of EU Fundamental Values" is a more appropriate term than a "Rule of Law Crisis", which is often used. The issues that the governments of Poland and Hungary pose for the EU raise critical questions about the development of the European integration project. This thesis therefore relates this crisis to two important theoretical concepts in the field of European Studies: Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. Through a qualitative framing analysis of 49 opinion articles in Dutch quality newspapers, it is shown that there are fundamental differences in the understanding of the crisis of EU fundamental values between, in this case, a center-leftwing oriented newspaper (De Volkskrant) and a center-rightwing oriented newspaper (NRC Handelsblad). In discussing the issue, De Volkskrant related its readers to Poles and Hungarians through their shared European citizenship and published fundamental criticisms on the European Union, while NRC Handelsblad emphasized differences between Eastern- and Western Europe and urged the EU to defend the liberal democratic status-quo. These differences could have important implications for future research on Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. These implications will be assessed and discussed.
Anotace v angličtině
There is an ongoing political debate in the European Union about the state of democracy and the rule of law in two of its member states: Poland and Hungary. Since these issues do not only pertain to the rule of law, but to the fundamental values of the EU in general, it is argued that a "Crisis of EU Fundamental Values" is a more appropriate term than a "Rule of Law Crisis", which is often used. The issues that the governments of Poland and Hungary pose for the EU raise critical questions about the development of the European integration project. This thesis therefore relates this crisis to two important theoretical concepts in the field of European Studies: Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. Through a qualitative framing analysis of 49 opinion articles in Dutch quality newspapers, it is shown that there are fundamental differences in the understanding of the crisis of EU fundamental values between, in this case, a center-leftwing oriented newspaper (De Volkskrant) and a center-rightwing oriented newspaper (NRC Handelsblad). In discussing the issue, De Volkskrant related its readers to Poles and Hungarians through their shared European citizenship and published fundamental criticisms on the European Union, while NRC Handelsblad emphasized differences between Eastern- and Western Europe and urged the EU to defend the liberal democratic status-quo. These differences could have important implications for future research on Europeanization and the European Public Sphere. These implications will be assessed and discussed.
Klíčová slova
Europeanization, rule of law, European Public Sphere, national mass media, framing
Klíčová slova v angličtině
Europeanization, rule of law, European Public Sphere, national mass media, framing
Zásady pro vypracování
The scholarly debate on the question whether we are witnessing increased politicization of European integration issues has varied outcomes. However, at least regarding quantity over the past decades it appears that there has not been much of an increase in politicization; rather it increases drastically at specific moments in time. Either way, the politicization of European integration is currently a very popular topic among scholars studying broad European integration developments. This thesis aims to add to this debate by using it as its main framework, focusing on a specific topic that is currently an important issue in European integration: the rise of 'illiberal' regimes in Hungary and Poland and the threats to the EU's fundamental values (enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union) that they pose.
To define what politicization of European integration is, the book edited by Edgar Grande, Hanspeter Kriesi and Swen Hutter (2016) is used. In the second chapter of this book, the following short definition is posed: "In short, politicising Europe means political conflict over this specific form of regional cooperation and integration [namely the European Community/EU], over the level and scope of its authority and over the inclusion or exclusion of members." In the introductory chapter to this same book, the authors state that the crucial question regarding politicization of European integration is not a quantitative one, but a qualitative one. Following this statement, the main purpose of this thesis is to contribute to this crucial question by focusing on the extent to which the Rule of Law crisis (or EU fundamental value crisis) has been politicized in the EU and particularly one of its member states: the Netherlands.
The research will take a more qualitative approach in the following two main ways: first, instead of discussing the politicization of European integration, the focus lies on the issues regarding threats to EU fundamental values in member states (a specific topic within the European integration debate). Second, instead of merely focusing on issue salience, the research surrounds questions regarding how the EU fundamental values crisis is framed by Dutch national media and how it is perceived and debated by Dutch national politicians.
Zásady pro vypracování
The scholarly debate on the question whether we are witnessing increased politicization of European integration issues has varied outcomes. However, at least regarding quantity over the past decades it appears that there has not been much of an increase in politicization; rather it increases drastically at specific moments in time. Either way, the politicization of European integration is currently a very popular topic among scholars studying broad European integration developments. This thesis aims to add to this debate by using it as its main framework, focusing on a specific topic that is currently an important issue in European integration: the rise of 'illiberal' regimes in Hungary and Poland and the threats to the EU's fundamental values (enshrined in Article 2 of the Treaty on the European Union) that they pose.
To define what politicization of European integration is, the book edited by Edgar Grande, Hanspeter Kriesi and Swen Hutter (2016) is used. In the second chapter of this book, the following short definition is posed: "In short, politicising Europe means political conflict over this specific form of regional cooperation and integration [namely the European Community/EU], over the level and scope of its authority and over the inclusion or exclusion of members." In the introductory chapter to this same book, the authors state that the crucial question regarding politicization of European integration is not a quantitative one, but a qualitative one. Following this statement, the main purpose of this thesis is to contribute to this crucial question by focusing on the extent to which the Rule of Law crisis (or EU fundamental value crisis) has been politicized in the EU and particularly one of its member states: the Netherlands.
The research will take a more qualitative approach in the following two main ways: first, instead of discussing the politicization of European integration, the focus lies on the issues regarding threats to EU fundamental values in member states (a specific topic within the European integration debate). Second, instead of merely focusing on issue salience, the research surrounds questions regarding how the EU fundamental values crisis is framed by Dutch national media and how it is perceived and debated by Dutch national politicians.
Seznam doporučené literatury
1. Grande, Edgar and Swen Hutter. "Introduction: European integration and the challenge of politicization." In Politicising Europe: Integration and Mass Politics, 3-45. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
2. Habermas, Jürgen. "Democracy in Europe: Why the Development of the EU into a Transnational Democracy is Necessary and How It Is Possible." European Law Journal 21, no. 04 (2015): 546-557
3. Hooghe, Liesbet and Gary Marks. "A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration: From Permissive Consensus to Constraining dissensus." British Journal of Political Science 39, no. 01 (2009): 1-23, doi:10.1017/S0007123408000409
4. Hurrelmann, Achim., A. Gora and A. Wagner. "The Politicization of European Integration: More than an Elite Affair?" Political studies 63 (2015): 43-59, doi:10.1111/1467-9248.12090
5. Hutter, Swen and Edgar Grande. "Politicizing Europe in the National Electoral Arena: A Comparative Analysis of Five West European Countries, 1970-2010." Journal of Common Market Studies 52, no. 05 (2014): 1002-1018, doi:10.1111/jcms.12133
6. Kochenov, Dimitry., A. Magen and L. Pech. "Introduction: The Great Rule of Law Debate in the EU." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 05 (2016): 1045-1049, doi:10.1111/jcms.12399
7. Kriesi, Hanspeter. "The Politicization of European Integration." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, (2016): 32-47, doi:10.1111/jcms.12399
8. Magen, Amichai. "Cracks in the Foundations: Understanding the Great Rule of Law Debate in the EU." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 5 (2016): 1050-1061, doi: 10.1111/jcms.12400
9. Oliver, Peter and Justine Stefanelli. "Strengthening the Rule of Law in the EU: The Council's Inaction." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 5 (2016): 1075-1084, doi: : 10.1111/jcms.12402
10. Pfetsch, Barbara., S. Adam and B. Berkel. "The Voice of the Media in European Public Sphere. Agenda Setters, Shapers of Conflicts and Bridges of Cross Border Communication." - 2005
11. Dawson, Mark, and Elise Muir. "Enforcing Fundamental Values: EU Law and Governance in Hungary and Romania." Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 19, no. 04 (2012): 469-476
12. Dawson, Mark., E. Muir and M. Claes. "Enforcing the EU's Rights Revolution: The Case of Equality." European Human Rights Law Review 3 (2012): 276-291.
13. Green-Pedersen, Christoffer. "A Giant Fast Asleep? Party Incentives and the Politicisation of European Integration." Political Studies 60 (2012): 115-130, doi:10.1111/j.1467-9248.2011.00895.x
14. Hutter, Swen., E. Grande and H. Kriesi, eds. Politicising Europe: Integration and Mass Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2016)
15. Kriesi, Hanspeter, Edgar Grande, Romain Lachat, Martin Dolezal, Simon Bornschier and Timotheos Frey. "Globalization and the Transformation of the National Political Space: Six European Countries Compared." European Journal of Political Research 45 (2006), 92156.
16. Kuus, Merje. "Europe's eastern expansion and the reinscription of otherness in East-Central Europe." Progress in Human Geography 28, no. 04 (2004): 472-489
17. Leconte, Cécile. "The EU Fundamental Rights Policy as a Source of Euroscepticism." Human Rights Law Review 15 (2014): 83-96, doi:10.1007/s12142-013-0299-6
18. Müller, Jan-Werner. "Should the EU Protect Democracy and the Rule of Law inside Member States?" European Law Journal 21, no. 02 (2015): 141-160
19. Schlipphak, Bernd and Oliver Treib. "Playing the blame game on Brussels: the domestic political effects of EU interventions against democratic backsliding." Journal of European Public Policy 24, no. 03 (2017): 352-365, doi:10.1080/13501763.2016.1229359
20. Sedelmeier, Ulrich. "Political safeguards against democratic backsliding in the EU: the limits of material sanctions and the scope of social pressure." Journal of European Public Policy 24, no. 03 (2017): 337-351, doi:10.1080/13501763.2016.1229358
Seznam doporučené literatury
1. Grande, Edgar and Swen Hutter. "Introduction: European integration and the challenge of politicization." In Politicising Europe: Integration and Mass Politics, 3-45. Cambridge University Press, 2016.
2. Habermas, Jürgen. "Democracy in Europe: Why the Development of the EU into a Transnational Democracy is Necessary and How It Is Possible." European Law Journal 21, no. 04 (2015): 546-557
3. Hooghe, Liesbet and Gary Marks. "A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration: From Permissive Consensus to Constraining dissensus." British Journal of Political Science 39, no. 01 (2009): 1-23, doi:10.1017/S0007123408000409
4. Hurrelmann, Achim., A. Gora and A. Wagner. "The Politicization of European Integration: More than an Elite Affair?" Political studies 63 (2015): 43-59, doi:10.1111/1467-9248.12090
5. Hutter, Swen and Edgar Grande. "Politicizing Europe in the National Electoral Arena: A Comparative Analysis of Five West European Countries, 1970-2010." Journal of Common Market Studies 52, no. 05 (2014): 1002-1018, doi:10.1111/jcms.12133
6. Kochenov, Dimitry., A. Magen and L. Pech. "Introduction: The Great Rule of Law Debate in the EU." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 05 (2016): 1045-1049, doi:10.1111/jcms.12399
7. Kriesi, Hanspeter. "The Politicization of European Integration." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, (2016): 32-47, doi:10.1111/jcms.12399
8. Magen, Amichai. "Cracks in the Foundations: Understanding the Great Rule of Law Debate in the EU." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 5 (2016): 1050-1061, doi: 10.1111/jcms.12400
9. Oliver, Peter and Justine Stefanelli. "Strengthening the Rule of Law in the EU: The Council's Inaction." Journal of Common Market Studies 54, no. 5 (2016): 1075-1084, doi: : 10.1111/jcms.12402
10. Pfetsch, Barbara., S. Adam and B. Berkel. "The Voice of the Media in European Public Sphere. Agenda Setters, Shapers of Conflicts and Bridges of Cross Border Communication." - 2005
11. Dawson, Mark, and Elise Muir. "Enforcing Fundamental Values: EU Law and Governance in Hungary and Romania." Maastricht Journal of European and Comparative Law 19, no. 04 (2012): 469-476
12. Dawson, Mark., E. Muir and M. Claes. "Enforcing the EU's Rights Revolution: The Case of Equality." European Human Rights Law Review 3 (2012): 276-291.
13. Green-Pedersen, Christoffer. "A Giant Fast Asleep? Party Incentives and the Politicisation of European Integration." Political Studies 60 (2012): 115-130, doi:10.1111/j.1467-9248.2011.00895.x
14. Hutter, Swen., E. Grande and H. Kriesi, eds. Politicising Europe: Integration and Mass Politics (Cambridge University Press, 2016)
15. Kriesi, Hanspeter, Edgar Grande, Romain Lachat, Martin Dolezal, Simon Bornschier and Timotheos Frey. "Globalization and the Transformation of the National Political Space: Six European Countries Compared." European Journal of Political Research 45 (2006), 92156.
16. Kuus, Merje. "Europe's eastern expansion and the reinscription of otherness in East-Central Europe." Progress in Human Geography 28, no. 04 (2004): 472-489
17. Leconte, Cécile. "The EU Fundamental Rights Policy as a Source of Euroscepticism." Human Rights Law Review 15 (2014): 83-96, doi:10.1007/s12142-013-0299-6
18. Müller, Jan-Werner. "Should the EU Protect Democracy and the Rule of Law inside Member States?" European Law Journal 21, no. 02 (2015): 141-160
19. Schlipphak, Bernd and Oliver Treib. "Playing the blame game on Brussels: the domestic political effects of EU interventions against democratic backsliding." Journal of European Public Policy 24, no. 03 (2017): 352-365, doi:10.1080/13501763.2016.1229359
20. Sedelmeier, Ulrich. "Political safeguards against democratic backsliding in the EU: the limits of material sanctions and the scope of social pressure." Journal of European Public Policy 24, no. 03 (2017): 337-351, doi:10.1080/13501763.2016.1229358