Introduction: Quiet and noisy politics in the ‘interregnum’. The case of public procurement

This article discusses the role of politics in the current ‘interregnum’ following neoliberal hegemony, based on an analysis of procurement policies and practices in Europe. It shows how the re-politicisation of the neoliberal framework can be seen in the interplay between ‘noisy’ legislative reforms and quieter forms of decision-making within the framework of local regulatory experiments, administrative procurement practices, case-law and soft law for public buyers. This interplay has given rise to a policy-specific interregnum that incentivises non-politics, but also gives space to policies and practices of ‘buying decent work’. The implementation of this framework is likewise characterised by a mix of noisy politics building up pressure to move away from ‘buying cheap’ and quieter negotiations around the design and enforcement of social considerations. The article highlights the role of trade unions in this important arena of labour market regulation and industrial relations outside the traditional forms of collective bargaining.