Mémoire
| Résumé : | The present research aims to uncover one of the reasons for the deadlock on the reform of the Common European Asylum System by understanding the influence of the politicization of migration and of the European Union on the definition of national preferences and thebargaining position of member-states. This study aims therefore to contribute to the literature gap on the policy consequences of politicization on European integration. In specific, the present research focuses on two study cases, those of Italy and Hungary, which were chosen because they are representative of two different European realities. On the one hand, Italy, due to its geographical position, represents a member-state highly pressured by migrant arrivals, and with a high level of responsibility in managing asylum requests due to the Dublin Regulation. On the other hand, Hungary, due to its geography, represents the reality of transit countries, not having much experience or history in managing migration flows, and with a low level of responsibility in the management of asylum requests.To meet the research objectives, the present study resorts to the concept of politicization as proposed by Hutter et al. and to the theory of Liberal Intergovernmentalism, as proposed by Moravcsik. Therefore, the present work is organized in a three-step analysis. Firstly, the politicization of migration and of the European Union is exposed in both study cases. Secondly, the formation of national preferences on asylum policy is analyzed. And finally, the bargaining position of both member-states is determined. The period of the research goes from 2012 to 2021, comprising the period before, during and after the so-called “migration crisis”. Through this analysis, the research concludes that politicization does play an influential role in shaping preferences and bargaining positions in asylum policy. In the case of Italy, politicization furthers preferences for European integration, and, in the case of Hungary, politicization feeds the anti-European integration sentiment. |
