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The Dimensionality of the EU Policy Space

Author

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  • Paul Pennings

    (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands pennings@scw.vu.nl)

Abstract

In any full-grown democracy, parties must confront voters with real choices that matter. The European Union is often said to be devoid of these choices owing to minor policy differences between parties. The manifestos issued at European Parliament elections by party groups are often perceived as being bland and indistinguishable from each other. How correct is this perception? In this article, the diversity of policy positions within and between the main European party groups is analyzed by means of the European election manifestos of 1999. The content analysis of these manifestos shows that there are significant differences both within and between the party groups. These differences indicate that these groups are (potentially) able to present meaningful choices to voters.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Pennings, 2002. "The Dimensionality of the EU Policy Space," European Union Politics, , vol. 3(1), pages 59-80, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:3:y:2002:i:1:p:59-80
    DOI: 10.1177/1465116502003001004
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Hosli, Madeleine O.; Arnold, Christine, 2007. "The Importance of Actor Cleavages in Negotiating the European Constitutional Treaty," European Governance Papers (EUROGOV) 3, CONNEX and EUROGOV networks.
    2. Paul Pennings & Christine Arnold, 2008. "Is Constitutional Politics like Politics ‘At Home’? The Case of the EU Constitution," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 56(4), pages 789-806, December.
    3. Holger Reinermann, 2022. "Party competition and the structuring of party preferences by the left-right dimension," Rationality and Society, , vol. 34(2), pages 185-217, May.
    4. Kenneth Benoit & Michael Laver, 2012. "The dimensionality of political space: Epistemological and methodological considerations," European Union Politics, , vol. 13(2), pages 194-218, June.
    5. Kenneth Benoit & Michael Laver & Christine Arnold & Paul Pennings & Madeleine O. Hosli, 2005. "Measuring National Delegate Positions at the Convention on the Future of Europe Using Computerized Word Scoring," European Union Politics, , vol. 6(3), pages 291-313, September.
    6. Jae-Jae Spoon, 2012. "How salient is Europe? An analysis of European election manifestos, 1979–2004," European Union Politics, , vol. 13(4), pages 558-579, December.
    7. Robert Pahre & Burcu Uçaray‐Mangitli, 2009. "The Myths of Turkish Influence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47(2), pages 357-384, March.
    8. Zorn, Hendrik & Schäfer, Armin & Manow, Philip, 2004. "European Social Policy and Europe's Party-Political Center of Gravity, 1957-2003," MPIfG Discussion Paper 04/6, Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies.
    9. Torsten J. Selck & Bernard Steunenberg, 2004. "Between Power and Luck," European Union Politics, , vol. 5(1), pages 25-46, March.
    10. Daniel Finke, 2012. "Proposal stage coalition-building in the European Parliament," European Union Politics, , vol. 13(4), pages 487-512, December.
    11. Christina Zimmer & Gerald Schneider & Michael Dobbins, 2005. "The Contested Council: Conflict Dimensions of an Intergovernmental EU Institution," Political Studies, Political Studies Association, vol. 53(2), pages 403-422, June.
    12. Hortala-Vallve, Rafael & Esteve-Volart, Berta, 2011. "Voter turnout and electoral competition in a multidimensional policy space," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 376-384, June.
    13. Raquel Freitas & Luís Mah, 2012. "The possibilities for enhancing ownership of development in Africa: the role of regional integration in the external relations of Africa," CEsA Working Papers 112, CEsA - Centre for African and Development Studies.
    14. Mark Aspinwall, 2002. "Preferring Europe," European Union Politics, , vol. 3(1), pages 81-111, March.
    15. Thomas König, 2007. "Discontinuity," European Union Politics, , vol. 8(3), pages 411-432, September.
    16. Robert Pahre & Burcu Uçaray-Mangitli, 2009. "The Myths of Turkish Influence in the European Union," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 47, pages 357-384, March.
    17. Torsten J. Selck, 2004. "On the Dimensionality of European Union Legislative Decision-Making," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 16(2), pages 203-222, April.

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