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The Politicization of the European Central Bank: What Is It, and How to Study It?

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  • Pier Domenico Tortola

Abstract

The politicization of the European Central Bank (ECB) is a recurrent theme in debates on the EU after the crisis, yet it is one that still suffers from a considerable degree of vagueness. This is unfortunate as it hinders the development of useful discussions on the place and legitimacy of the ECB within Europe's institutional order. To tackle this problem, this article presents a systematic analysis of the concept of ECB politicization and an agenda for future research on this phenomenon. After reviewing existing uses of the term in the form of three dichotomies – politicization versus independence, impartiality, and convention – the article proposes an alternative, preference‐based definition of politicization as a deviation from technocratic policy‐making in the ECB. Building on this definition, the article then indicates three avenues for the empirical study of politicization centred, respectively, on elite interviews and surveys, the analysis of central bankers’ networks and the study of ECB language.

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  • Pier Domenico Tortola, 2020. "The Politicization of the European Central Bank: What Is It, and How to Study It?," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 58(3), pages 501-513, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jcmkts:v:58:y:2020:i:3:p:501-513
    DOI: 10.1111/jcms.12973
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    1. Ferrara, Federico M. & Masciandaro, Donato & Moschella, Manuela & Romelli, Davide, 2022. "Political voice on monetary policy: Evidence from the parliamentary hearings of the European Central Bank," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    2. Giordano, Matteo & Goghie, Alexandru-Stefan, 2023. "From Policy to Regime: the changing posture of the ECB between liquidity and collateral through the lens of Monetary Regime," SocArXiv rw3ms, Center for Open Science.
    3. Radu Șimandan & Cristian Păun, 2021. "The Costs and Trade-Offs of Green Central Banking: A Framework for Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-25, August.
    4. Federico M. Ferrara & Donato Masciandaro & Manuela Moschella & Davide Romelli, 2021. "Political Voice on Monetary Policy: Evidence from the Parliamentary Hearings of the European Central Bank," BAFFI CAREFIN Working Papers 21159, BAFFI CAREFIN, Centre for Applied Research on International Markets Banking Finance and Regulation, Universita' Bocconi, Milano, Italy.

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