This open access book focuses on the importance that EU politicization has gained in European democracies and the consequences for voting behaviour in six countries of the EU: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Most of the studies which research the way the EU is being legitimised focus on the European Parliament elections. In this book we argue that to understand how EU accountability works, it is necessary to focus instead on national elections and the national political environment. Through a detailed, multimethod analysis this book establishes rigorously the paths of European accountability at the national level, its propitious contexts in the media and parliamentary debates, and whether the paths are similar from Greece to Germany. The findings have implications for both national and European Union democracy, underlining the importance that national institutions have in enabling citizens to hold the EU accountable.

Following the outbreak of the international financial crisis, Southern Europe became an epicentre of economic instability and international concern. The prospect of a sovereign debt default in the eurozone's 'flaky fringe' sent shock waves through the European and global economies. Examining the crucial initial phase, when the financial crisis was just beginning to spill over into the real economy, the volume surveys the impact of the September 2008 Lehman Brothers' collapse across the EU's southern periphery. The six South European eurozone members - Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta - are viewed in comparative perspective with EU candidate state and non-eurozone member, Turkey. In an era before the spectacular EU/IMF bailouts, the picture that emerges is one of national differentiation, illuminating these countries' different starting points and varying policy responses in the face of the gathering financial storm. This book was published in 2009 as a special issue of South European Society and Politics.

Following the outbreak of the international financial crisis, Southern Europe became an epicentre of economic instability and international concern. The prospect of a sovereign debt default in the eurozone s flaky fringe sent shock waves through the European and global economies. Examining the crucial initial phase, when the financial crisis was just beginning to spill over into the real economy, the volume surveys the impact of the September 2008 Lehman Brothers collapse across the EU s southern periphery. The six South European eurozone members Italy, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Malta are viewed in comparative perspective with EU candidate state and non-eurozone member, Turkey. In an era before the spectacular EU/IMF bailouts, the picture that emerges is one of national differentiation, illuminating these countries different starting points and varying policy responses in the face of the gathering financial storm.

This book was published in 2009 as a special issue of South European Society and Politics."

This open access book focuses on the importance that EU politicization has gained in European democracies and the consequences for voting behaviour in six countries of the EU: Belgium, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Most of the studies which research the way the EU is being legitimised focus on the European Parliament elections. In this book we argue that to understand how EU accountability works, it is necessary to focus instead on national elections and the national political environment. Through a detailed, multimethod analysis this book establishes rigorously the paths of European accountability at the national level, its propitious contexts in the media and parliamentary debates, and whether the paths are similar from Greece to Germany. The findings have implications for both national and European Union democracy, underlining the importance that national institutions have in enabling citizens to hold the EU accountable.

Portugal in the Twenty-First Century: Politics, Society, and Economics, edited by Sebastian Royo, reflects on the legacies of authoritarianism on the democratization process and addresses issues related to Portugal's integration into the European Union, with the perspective offered by its twenty-three years of membership. Portugal in the Twenty-First Century reflects on what has happened in the country and in Europe during the last three decades. The analysis is divided into two sections: political and sociological perspectives, and economic and social perspectives. The contributors identify basic changes in the economy and society of Portugal that occurred as a result of the democratization and European integration processes. They also assess the impact that these changes have had on the quality of Portuguese democracy, and on the country's economic development. Royo's collection reflects on how far Portugal has come since the Carnation Revolution in 1974 in order to better understand where it is headed now, at the dawn of the twenty-first century. Portugal in the Twenty-First Century: Politics, Society, and Economics, edited by Sebastian Royo, provides an original series of analyses of the development of Portuguese politics, sociology, and economics since the transition to democracy and the accession to the European Union. Drawing on the research by established scholars, Royo offers an up-to-date assessment of Portuguese political and economic issues. It is essential reading for those interested in understanding contemporary Portugal.