The Return of 'Social Europe': Ideas and Positions of German Parties towards the Future of European Integration

Ideas and positions of German parties towards European integration have long been characterised by the model of an economically and politically integrated state community. This general principle has been supported by a majority of delegates of all government and opposition parties, with the exception of the socialist left, from the Treaties of Rome until today. Are there now signs of strain in this cross-party consensus? This article compares the plenary debate on the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon to the proceedings to the Treaties of Maastricht and Nice. The analysis illustrates that although a pro-EU consensus persists, it was weakened when the new Left Party entered the Bundestag. Responding to this and to the intensified problem of 'positive' (i.e. market-correcting) integration following Eastern enlargement, the Social Democrats have realigned their position towards a 'social Europe', for the first time clearly distinguishing their position from that of the Christian Democrats.