The Left in the European Parliament: between responsiveness and responsibility

Abstract

Research on radical left parties (RLPs) and European integration has often treated The Left in the European Parliament (The Left), either as a relatively coherent Eurosceptic party group or has examined differences between RLPs as a party family. This article contributes to the literature on radical left ‘Euroscepticism’ by analysing variation within The Left and its policy congruence with the mainstream party groups in the European Parliament. The research design combines a descriptive analysis of Chapel Hill Expert Survey (CHES) data with semi-structured interviews with affiliates from The Left and mainstream party groups. The CHES analysis identifies patterns of ideological and policy proximity between The Left and other party groups, while the interviews examine how these patterns translate into parliamentary practice. The findings show that The Left should not be understood as a coherent ‘Eurosceptic’ entity. Rather, attitudes towards European integration vary across policy domains. The Left is particularly close to the groups left to the European People’s Party on socio-cultural, environmental, and social policy issues, whereas a greater distance emerges on socio-economic dimensions. Despite internal tensions, The Left can act as a responsible actor in committee work where policy proximity, committee dynamics, and majority formation create opportunities for cooperation.