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Reconstituting European social democracy: Germany's pivotal role

journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-08, 10:52 authored by Charles Lees
After a long period of dominance by the centre-right, social democracy is once more in the ascendancy in Europe. At the same time social democracy is cross-cut by competing ideological paradigms, ranging from an unreformed or ‘traditional’ model through to the neo-liberal tinged ‘Third Way’ agenda. With social democratic-led governments in power in France, Germany and Great Britain, this ideological competition has to a certain extent been mapped onto these member states’ statecraft agendas. The article makes three points. First, that there is a high degree of institutional ‘fit’ between of the Federal Republic and the European Union and that this potentially favours the successful transfer of German policy initiatives to the EU level. Second, that the ‘Red-Green model’ of political co-operation between the SPD and Greens is grounded within the parameters of sub-national politics and is not easily adapted to the demands of the national and supranational levels. Third, that as a result of this, any distinctively ‘German’ social democratic agenda for Europe is more likely to have the ideas of the ‘Neue Mitte’ at its core.

History

Publication status

  • Published

Journal

German Politics

ISSN

0964-4008

Publisher

Taylor & Francis

Issue

2

Volume

9

Page range

71-88

ISBN

0964-4008

Department affiliated with

  • International Relations Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Legacy Posted Date

2012-02-21

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