(Non)Existence of Bulgarian Party‑Based Euroscepticism – Why Should We Care?
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12797/Politeja.12.2015.33.10Keywords:
Euroscepticism, Bulgaria, political parties, European integrationAbstract
Euroscepticism is often linked to the disappointment with the outcomes of transition as well as overgrown expectations that accompanied the accession to the European Union. The main aim of the paper is to investigate if and how party‑based Euroscepticism has been active in Bulgaria, a post-communist country in CEE and a member of the European Union since 2007. The paper will present the rhetoric and characteristics of main Eurosceptic political parties in Bulgaria. Bulgarian public opinion used to be perceived as one of the most pro‑European among the member states, but current events show that the European issue is not so salient for the Bulgarian society and political elite. The difficult social and political situation marginalises discussions about the functioning of the EU and the future of Europe. Not only the absence of Euroscepticism, but also the lack of any European issues in party manifestos is puzzling. This paper aims to answer the question if Bulgarian politicians are so pro‑European or rather if Europe doesn’t really matter to the elites.
Downloads
PlumX Metrics of this article
References
Andreev S., ‘Is Populism the “Bad Wolf ”? Post‑Accession Crisis of Representative Democracy in Bulgaria and Romania’. Paper presented at “Bringing Civil Society In”, International conference, EUI Florence, 13‑14 March 2009.
Google Scholar
Aspinwall M., ‘Preferring Europe: Ideology and National Preferences on European Integration’, European Union Politics, Vol. 3, No. 1 (2002), pp. 81‑112, at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1465116502003001005>.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116502003001005
Google Scholar
Ataka Party, at <http://www.ataka.bg>.
Google Scholar
Ataka Party, 20 Principles of ATAKA Political Party, 2014, at <http://www.ataka.bg/en/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14&Itemid=27>.
Google Scholar
Bulgaria Without Censorship collation [Политическа партия “България без цензура”], at <http://bulgariabezcenzura.bg/>.
Google Scholar
Cholova B., ‘Populism in Bulgaria: A Recent Phenomenon?’. Paper presented on the “9th Belgian‑Dutch Political Science Conference”, 27‑28 May, 2010, Leuven, Belgium.
Google Scholar
Conti N., Party Attitudes to European Integration. A Longitudinal Analysis of the Italian Case, Falmer 2003 (SEI Working Paper, No. 70. EPERN Working Paper, No. 13).
Google Scholar
DeDominicis B. et al., ‘Repertoires of Contention of the Bulgarian Nationalist Right: Militant Nationalism, Social Movements and European State‑Building in Post‑Colonial Bulgaria’. Paper prepared for the “International Society of Political Psychology Annual Conference”, 14‑17 July 2009, Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. European Parliament, Results of the 2014 European Elections, ‘Election Results’, 2014, at <http://www.results‑elections2014.eu/en/seats‑member‑state‑absolut.html>.
Google Scholar
European Parliament, Results of the 2014 European Elections, ‘Election Turnout’, at <http://www.europarl.europa.eu/aboutparliament/en/000cdcd9d4/Turnout‑%281979‑2009%29.html>.
Google Scholar
Flood Ch., ‘Euroscepticism: A Problematic Concept’. Paper presented at “32th UACES Annual Conference”, QU Belfast, 2002.
Google Scholar
Georgieff A., ‘Dark Cloud Tiny Silver Lining’, Vagabond, Issue 92, at <http://www.vagabond.bg/politics/item/2769‑dark‑cloud‑with‑tiny‑silver‑lining.html>.
Google Scholar
Kopecký P., Mudde C., ‘The Two Sides of Euroscepticism: Party Positions on European Integration in East Central Europe’, European Union Politics, Vol. 3, No. 3 (2002), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/1465116502003003002>.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1465116502003003002
Google Scholar
Kostadinov P., ‘A Message from Siderov’, Sofia Echo, 9 May 2008, at <http://sofiaecho.com/2008/05/09/660554_a‑message‑from‑siderov>.
Google Scholar
Mair P., ‘Political Opposition and the European Union’, Government and Opposition, Vol. 42, No. 1 (2007), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1477‑7053.2007.00209.x>.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2007.00209.x
Google Scholar
Nalewajko E., ‘Eurosceptyczne partie i ich liderzy w publicznej debacie o integracji prowadzonej w latach 2000‑2003’ in L. Kolarska‑Bobińska (ed.), Przed referendum europejskim. Absencja, sprzeciw, poparcie, Warszawa 2003 (Ekspertyzy, Rekomendacje, Raporty z Badań – Instytut Spraw Publicznych).
Google Scholar
Popkostadinova N., ‘Angry Bulgarians Feel EU Membership Has Brought Few Benefits’, EUobserver, 3 III 2014, at <http://euobserver.com/eu‑elections/123199>.
Google Scholar
Popkostadinova N., ‘Bulgaria Heads for Early Elections after EU Vote’, EUobserver, 19 VI 2014, at <http://euobserver.com/eu‑elections/124652>.
Google Scholar
Riishoj S., ‘Europeanization and Euroscepticism: Experiences from Poland and Czech Republic’ in R. Kanet (ed.), Identities, Nations and Politics after Communism, London 2008 (Nations and Nationalism of Eastern Europe and the Former USSR).
Google Scholar
Smilov D., ‘Bulgaria’ in G. Mesežnikov et al. (eds.), Populist Politics and Liberal Democracy in Central and Eastern Europe, Bratislava 2008.
Google Scholar
Smrčková M., ‘Comparison of Radical Right‑Wing Parties in Bulgaria and Romania: The National Movement of Ataka and the Great Romania Party’, Central European Political Studies Review, Vol. 11, No. 1 (2009).
Google Scholar
Sorensen C., Love Me, Love Me Not… A Typology of Public Euroscepticism, Brighton 2008 (SEI Working Paper, No. 101. EPERN Working Paper, No. 19).
Google Scholar
Spirova M., ‘Consolidating the Post‑communist Party Systems: Political Parties in Bulgaria’, 2003, at <http://www.ksg.harvard.edu/kokkalis/GSW5/spirova.pdf>.
Google Scholar
Styczyńska N., ‘Bundle of Emotions. Polish Identity and Euroscepticism’ in R. Gura, N. Styczynska (eds.), Identités et espaces public européens, Paris 2014 (Local & Global).
Google Scholar
Styczyńska N., ‘Euroscepticism in New Member States – The Case of Poland’, Contemporary European Studies, Special Issue (2009).
Google Scholar
Styczyńska N., ‘The Populist Radical Right in the Post Communist South East Europe. The Case of Bulgaria’ in Infusing Research and Knowledge in South‑East Europe. Proceedings of the 5th Annual South‑East European Doctoral Student Conference, Thessaloniki 2010.
Google Scholar
Szczerbiak A., Taggart P., ‘Theorizing Party‑Based Euroscepticism: Problems of Definition, Measurement, and Causality’ in iidem (eds.), Opposing Europe? The Comparative Party Politics of Euroscepticism, Vol. 2: Comparative and Theoretical Perspectives, Oxford 2008.
Google Scholar
Szczerbiak A., Taggart P. (eds.), Opposing Europe? The Comparative Party Politics of Euroscepticism, Vol. 1: Case Studies and Country Surveys, Oxford 2008.
Google Scholar
Taggart P., ‘A Touchstone of Dissent: Euroscepticism in Contemporary Western European Party Systems’, European Journal of Political Research, Vol. 33, No. 3 (1998), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1475‑6765.00387>.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-6765.00387
Google Scholar
Tismaneanu V., Fantasies of Salvation: Democracy, Nationalism, and Myth in Post‑Communist Societies, Princeton 1998.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400822508
Google Scholar
Trenz H.‑J., Wilde P. de, ‘Euro‑Scepticism. Mapping a New Research Field for RECON’, RECON Working Papers, 2008.
Google Scholar
Tucker J., ‘Post‑Election Report: 2013 Bulgarian Parliamentary Elections’, The Monkey Cage, 20 May 2013, at <http://themonkeycage.org/2013/05/20/post‑election‑report‑2013‑bulgarian‑parliamentary‑elections/>.
Google Scholar
Vasilopoulou S., ‘European Integration and the Radical Right: Three Patterns of Opposition’, Government and Opposition, Vol. 46, No. 3 (2011), at <http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1477‑7053.2010.01337.x>.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1477-7053.2010.01337.x
Google Scholar
Vasilopoulou S., ‘Continuity and Change in the Study of Euroscepticism: Plus ca change?’, Journal of Common Market Studies, Special Issue: Confronting Euroscepticism, Vol. 51, No. 1 (2013).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-5965.2012.02306.x
Google Scholar
Zuba K., Polski eurosceptycyzm i eurorealizm, Opole 2006 (Studia i Monografie – Uniwersytet Opolski, nr 367).
Google Scholar
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.