European Political System

The course relies on the core theory and methodologies of political science to complement and enhance the legal skills already acquired, thus helping students gain the fundamental theoretical and analytical tools needed to study and understand the functioning of the political and institutional system of the European Union.
By examining key European institutions and how they interact, students will acquire a theoretical and empirical overview of the European political and institutional arena, their actors and their involvement in decision-making processes, with a focus on legislative dynamics and aspects of political competition.
The course also presents students with the main theories surrounding European integration and debate concerning the democratic legitimacy of the EU political system.
Finally, the course aims to provide a general understanding of how the various crises that have hit the EU since 2008 have affected the dynamics of political conflicts at both a cross-national and transnational level, as well as the functioning of the European political system.

By the end of the course, students will have acquired a theoretical and empirical knowledge of the workings of the EU political system, its main institutions and the political actors and decision-making processes that form it.
By actively participating in lectures and classroom case studies, students will also learn to apply the foundational knowledge and analytical categories acquired to analyse the major decisions made at the European level and examine the various stages of decision-making processes in the EU with reference to specific issues, even where not directly addressed during teaching.
Finally, by taking part in individual and group exercises both in class and at home, students will learn how to use the primary sources of information on European policy and to collect useful data for analysis.