The Supremacy of Politics: Federalism and Parties in Western Europe

Recent studies of Western European federal systems, in making a clear distinction between the federal ‘ideal’ and the institutional realities of political federation, mark a significant improvement on past definitional inexactitude. However, the analysis of the politics of establishing and maintaining federal systems needs to emphasise the nuances of political exigency and the use made of the federal ideal in furthering political interests. Although this is true of all federal systems, special attention has to be given to the strength of party traditions in Western Europe, especially to the influence of political Catholicism and Christian Democracy, in explaining the problematic career of the federal ideal. In addition, the Federal Republic of Germany exemplifies the ability of the institutional mechanisms of a federation to generate support from parties traditionally opposed to federalist arrangements.