Contestation of EU’s CFSP: continuation of uploading by other means?

The Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) is increasingly internally contested, although it would be expected that, following decades of Europeanisation of EU foreign policymaking, contestation would be less likely. The aim of this study is to understand why. By integrating two until now disconnected fields of studying EUFP (Europeanisation and Politicization) the thesis develops a novel conceptual framework distinguishing types (active, passive, and tacit) and forms (discursive or behavioral) of contestation and puts forward the hypothesis that the inability of MS to “upload” their preferences to the EU level results in systemic contestation of CFSP. These moves are strategic and aim at enhancing the chances of MSs uploading their individual preferences. In a way, contestation is the continuation of uploading by other means.