A Hamiltonian moment for European Solidarity? Politicization and Domestic Ratifications of the European Financial Stability Facility and the Own Resources Decision

This paper examines whether the current crisis generated by the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the notion of European solidarity during a crisis. We focus on how issues of financial solidarity are being politicized among national parliamentarians. We compare two processes that can provide evidence on changing notions of solidarity: domestic ratification process of the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) in 2012 and the Own Resources Decision (ORD) in 2021. Both instruments have deep fiscal implications for each state and hence provided the basis for discussing in terms of EU solidarity vs. national self- interests. The paper inquiries about the factors that drive domestic support and opposition towards the EFSF and the ORD and assesses the change regarding the value of European solidarity for national parliamentarians. We look empirically at (1) vote outcome on EFSF and ORD in all ratifying states as well as (2) parliamentary plenary debates accompanying the domestic ratification process. Regarding methods, the article combines statistical analysis of vote outcome with comparative discourse analysis of plenary debates.