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Morality Politics in the European Union: An Analysis of MEPs’ Vote on Abortion and Human Embryonic Stem Cell Research (2002-2015)

par Mondo, Emilie ;Close, Caroline
Référence Colloque international Gouvernance et religion – Projet EUREL (29-30/09/2016: Université du Luxembourg (Luxembourg))
Publication Non publié, 2016-09-29

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Résumé :

This research examines how MEPs vote on morality issues, i.e. issues that are framed in terms of (religious) values. The literature on MEPs’ voting behaviour is well-documented. Relying on the ‘principal-agent’ framework, scholars have explored the extent to which MEPs act in accordance with the interests of their electoral constituency, national party or government, or European parliamentary group. This paper tests the relevance of the principal-agent framework when voting on morality issues. Morality politics has indeed the potential to alter legislative behaviour in the European Parliament given their non-binding character at the EU level, and the fact that they affect individuals’ personal values and convictions. They therefore offer a unique opportunity to assess the role of religion in influencing legislators. The research focuses on two types of issues that have been debated within the European institutions: that of abortion, tackled through parliamentary reports on sexual and reproductive health and rights; and that of human embryonic stem cell research, dealt with through the successive European research framework programmes. The research develops a qualitative analysis based on semi-structured interviews with MEPs, which provide extensive information on how MEPs explain their voting behaviour on morality issues. Among other results, the interviews confirm the role of different 'principals', but the respondents also insist on the role of their personal convictions or believing, which they can express more freely in the European parliamentary arena than in the national one. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that morality issues, although non-binding, constitute a key field for the expression of ‘culture wars’ in the EU.