Framing European integration in mediated public spheres: an increasing nationalization and contestation of European issues in party political communication?

Abstract

This article proposes a claims-making analysis of party political communication over Europe in mediated public spheres in France, Ireland, the UK and Spain between 1993 and 2006. It demonstrates that office-seeking parties and especially the representatives of the executive power generally dominate Europeanized debates. In contrast, peripheral parties and other party actors such as party MPs and extra-parliamentary politicians face significant difficulties in obtaining visibility and resonance for their Europeanized frames. The empirical and longitudinal analysis also shows the prevalence of claims directed towards the EU level and of nationalized debates over Europe. Overall, even though critical engagements with Europe have progressed over time, the domination of mainstream parties and party actors in framing European integration and the pro-European consensus between office-seeking parties nevertheless limit the potential for contestation on European matters.

Keywords:

• claims-making analysis
• party political communication
• European integration
• mediated public spheres

Acknowledgements

I especially wish to thank Peter Mair and the two external referees for their comments on earlier versions of the article.