SYNEN PÅ EU HOS KRISTDEMOKRATERNA - EN KOMPARATIV IDÉANALYS

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyse whether the view on the European union as an institution and a political actor has changed over time whitin the swedish christian democratic party. The period of time that is analysed starts at 1993 and ends at 2018, and it is clear that during this period a significant change in focus whitin the christian democrats with regards to three specific policy areas in EU-politics has occured. At the time of Sweden’s affiliation with the EU in 1995, the christian democrats based their foreing policy on the importance of the reunion between Eastern Europe and Western Europe after the fall of communism. They were also working towards letting the EU exercise supranational power in different policy areas as a way of reuniting Europe. However in 2018, 25 years later, a shift in focus has happened. It seems that in present time, the christian democrats are far less willing to let the EU exercise any power that is deemed ”unneccessary” by the party, which is a rather insteresting change in opinion on the EU. In order to analyse what this change in view of the EU looks like in the christian democratic party, the analysis is based on three central policy areas in the union, which are the question of supranationalism versus nationalism, the principle of subsidiarity and the EU’s foreign policy. By analysing how the christian democrats regard these three policy areas, or dimensions, during two different time periods, one can compare these different views and see whether there has been a change of view or not, and if so what this change of view consists of. The analysis shows that christian democrats have changed their opinions on the EU with regards to the three chosen dimensions. One change is the fact that the party during the period shortly before and after Sweden joined the EU had a more positive view on the EU’s right and ability to excercise it’s given power in the three chosen policy areas. However in present time the party is far more reluctant to grant EU supranational power in certain policy areas, but is at the same time willing to let EU exercise suprational power in other policy areas. This change of view on the EU shows that the party is torn in it’s opinions on these three policy areas. Furthermore, the biggest change, which is likely derived from this fact, is the growing lack of faith and confidence in the EU as an institution and political actor.