The paper investigates the politicization of EU-related issues within the Italian parliamentary arena. In a country like Italy well known for its identity Europeanism, corresponding with a strong a priori support for European integration, the research empirically tests if the Eurocrisis and the regulatory remedies associated with it have acted as catalyst factors of an increased and more politicized involvement of domestic parliamentary actors over EU affairs. If yes, which are the consequences? If not, which are the incentives required?
Main analytical dimensions of politicization (i.e. issue-salience, MPs participation/attendance, parliamentary groups’ polarization) are observed over time through the study of both parliamentary behavior and discourse during the approval of some fundamental - legislative and non legislative - decisions in the context of the multilevel economic policy coordination. On the one side, before and after the entering into force of the new EU economic governance tools, in the period 2008-2015 parliamentary proceedings related to Italian draft budgets and stability laws are considered. On the other side, the constitutionalization and the implementation of the balanced-budget amendment together with the ratification of the Treaties about the Euro governance are included.
As a cross-sectoral comparison with the macroeconomic policy area, some other crucial topics exposed to a similar or a different degree of EU authority, will be measured on the same indicators (attendance and voting behaviour at least) during the current legislature.
Main purpose is contributing with a single case-study to the theory of politicization of the EU at the domestic level.
