The European Union as a Christian democracy: a heuristic approach. Issue 9 (1st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Accetti, Carlo Invernizzi
• Is Part Of: Journal of European public policy. Volume 27:Issue 9(2020)
• Page Start: 1329
• Page End: 1348
• Publication Date: 2020-09-01
• Subjects: Christian democracy -- consociationalism -- European Union -- social market economy -- subsidiarity; European Union countries -- Politics and government -- Periodicals; Political planning -- European Union countries -- Periodicals; Politique publique -- Pays de l'Union européenne -- Périodiques; Pays de l'Union européenne -- Politique et gouvernement -- Périodiques; 361.61094
• DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2020.1763437
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1350-1763

Abstract

ABSTRACT: While the historical role played by Christian Democrats in the construction of the European Union (EU) is well-known and amply documented, the impact this has had on the EU as it exists today has received virtually no attention in the relevant academic literature. This paper addresses the question by examining the heuristic purchase offered by distinctively Christian Democratic categories in describing the EU's current institutional framework. It argues that, in at least three respects, such categories appear more adequate than the ones that are more commonly used in the literature. First, the EU is more adequately described as a polity based on the principle of 'subsidiarity' than either a federation or a set of intergovernmental treaties. Second, its political regime is better understood as 'consociative' than either demo(i)cratic or technocratic. Finally, its socio-economic policies are closer to a model of 'social market economy' than either social democracy or neoliberalism.