Political Science Commons^™

Explaining The Perseverance Of "Independence In Europe": Strategic Reinforcements Of Minority Nationalist Pro-Europeanism, Judith Sijstermans

Claremont-UC Undergraduate Research Conference on the European Union

In the 1980’s minority nationalist parties adopted a policy of “independence in Europe.” Paradoxically, the policy simultaneously advocated conceding powers to a supranational body and taking back powers from the state. EU regional development programs initially spurred these pro-European policies, but these programs have since failed. Given the EU incentives, why do minority nationalist parties remain pro-European? I test a bottom-up, party political theory and use the British case studies of the Scottish National Party and the Welsh nationalist party, Plaid Cymru. I argue that these parties have remained pro-European because they are small oppositional parties. As small oppositional parties, …