We investigate the impact of the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine on domestic party competition over the European Union (EU) in its immediate aftermath, with a focus on the case of Italy. Drawing on a discursive neo-functionalist framework, we perform OLS regression analysis on a dataset of more than 10,000 Facebook posts retrieved via CrowdTangle. Our findings show that Italian parties converged towards supportive EU positions following the full-scale Russian invasion due to a decrease in anti-EU claims. Furthermore, the degree of convergence of individual parties varied depending on their ideological orientation. While extreme left-wing and green parties significantly decreased their discursive opposition to the EU, anti-Europeanism did not abate in radical right parties, which remained consistent in their Eurosceptic stances throughout the analysed timeframe. Compared to COVID-19, the different surrounding international context and policy fields involved in this crisis are associated with different party reactions vis-à-vis the EU.
Policy Implications
- Strengthening EU security and defence policy: The EU should address the functional mismatch between policy requirements and the current institutional framework in security and defence highlighted by the Russian-Ukrainian war. Increased integration of defence capabilities among EU member states and the supranationalisation of decision-making procedures are essential to enhance collective security and response mechanisms.
- Promoting pro-European narratives: Support for European integration can be bolstered by political leaders framing crises as opportunities for strengthening the EU, as seen in the convergence of Italian parties towards less anti-EU stances. Developing strategic communication campaigns to promote the benefits of EU membership and integration can mitigate Eurosceptic sentiments, especially during crises.
- Understanding and addressing RRPs dynamics: Given the consistent Euroscepticism of Radical Right Parties (RRPs), research and policy efforts should focus on understanding the roots of their opposition and addressing the underlying grievances. Engagement strategies should be designed to integrate RRPs into broader EU discussions, potentially reducing their oppositional stance by addressing their concerns within a cooperative framework.
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