EU POLITICIZATION THROUGH THE PRISM OF POST-FUNCTIONALISM: ESSENCE AND CONSEQUENCES

Abstract

The article presents the results of a comprehensive study of the phenomenon of politicization of the European Union through the prism of the modern scientific approach of European integration – post- functionalism. The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that politicization within the EU is on the rise, but its consequences and the specifics of interpretation by individual scientific approaches to European integration, including post-functionalism, are poorly studied. It is argued that within post-functionalism, the politicization of the EU is analyzed in at least three different directions: analysis of factors explaining the degree of politicization of the EU, starting from the role of the transfer of powers from member states to the EU; study of the differentiated nature of EU politicization (how it changes over time and in context); study of the normative consequences of politicization. Unlike neo-functionalists, who perceived politicization as a desirable and logical product, post-functionalists view politicization as a threat to the future of integration. This newer view is rooted in the manifestations of public skepticism about Europe that has emerged in recent decades. Scholars argue that public debates shaped by identity politics politicize European integration and ultimately lead to a “restrictive dissent” that hinders further integration. Post-functionalists emphasize that the politicization of the EU can influence public opinion, emphasizing the leading role of extreme parties in the politicization of the EU with its impact on the growth of Euroscepticism among citizens. It is argued that while in certain cases politicization leads to more negative public opinion about the EU and influences vote choice, it does not necessarily constrain elites. Thus, the post-functionalist argument that politicization leads to an ever- increasing restrictive dissent is only partially supported. It is suggested that future studies of the politicization of the EU should track a wider range of actors, the depth of their reactions, and the long-term consequences of the phenomenon under analysis.