Overview
- Aims to contribute to the agent-structure debate in European studies
- Focuses on the functioning of the European Council through the behaviour of its members
- Explores the behaviour used by EU leaders and how it impacts on agreements
Part of the book series: Central and Eastern European Perspectives on International Relations (CEEPIR)
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About this book
Using the example of Werner Faymann, Dalia Grybauskaité, Angela Merkel, Viktor Orbán and Mark Rutte, the book examines the impact that the European Council’s environment has on leadership styles and the impact of leaders on the institution’s decision-making during the financial and debt crisis, the Ukraine crisis, and the migration crisis (2010-2016). It presents domestic factors affecting the choice of leadership style nationally, finding cooperative styles are best suited to the European Council, as its structure relies on negotiated consensus. The European Council’s environment has three effects on leadership styles and decision-making: socialisation towards cooperation, compromise making, and Europeanisation. The book provides an in-depth insight into how leaders behave among their peers behind closed doors.
Keywords
Table of contents (14 chapters)
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Front Matter
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Back Matter
Reviews
“Based on a stellar line-up of interviewees this is a must-read piece of research for everyone who wants to look deeper inside the European Council. The book provides unusual clues about the leadership behaviours of some of the top protagonists in EU politics of the 2010s.” (Professor Dr Uwe Puetter, Professor of European Integration and European Politics, Europa-Universität Flensburg)
“This book offers a unique glimpse into the inner workings of European diplomacy, allowing readers to observe how leaders manage critical negotiations. By detailing their interactions, the book sheds light on the strategic thinking behind their actions and how these are perceived by fellow leaders. It’s an informative read for anyone interested in understanding the complex dynamics of European Politics and the decision-making processes that influence the continent's future.” (Sebastian Kurz, Minister of Foreign Affairs (2013-2017) and Chancellor of Austria (2017-2019 and 2020-2021))
“This book is the first to provide a theoretically informed and empirically rich analysis of the leadership styles of five heads of state or government in the European Council. It traces both the sources of variations in these styles in the domestic realm and their formation under conditions of European Council decision-making. A must read for all, who are interested in Leadership and European Studies, and particularly those who wonder why consensus in the European Council is often so difficult to achieve.” (Prof. Dr. Ingeborg Tömmel, Jean Monnet Chair in European Politics and Policies, Universität Osnabrück)
Authors and Affiliations
About the author
Martina Vass PhD is a political scientist, former University of Oxford Weidenfeld scholar, and journalist. She worked in different private and government institutions in Slovakia and has a professional background in EU affairs.
Bibliographic Information
Book Title: Leadership Styles in the European Council
Book Subtitle: How Leaders Behave Behind Closed Doors
Authors: Martina Vass
Series Title: Central and Eastern European Perspectives on International Relations
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-73621-6
Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan Cham
eBook Packages: Political Science and International Studies, Political Science and International Studies (R0)
Copyright Information: The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2024
Hardcover ISBN: 978-3-031-73620-9Published: 04 February 2025
Softcover ISBN: 978-3-031-73623-0Due: 18 February 2026
eBook ISBN: 978-3-031-73621-6Published: 03 February 2025
Series ISSN: 2947-7980
Series E-ISSN: 2947-7999
Edition Number: 1
Number of Pages: XIX, 294
Number of Illustrations: 1 b/w illustrations, 5 illustrations in colour
Topics: Political Science, European Politics, International Relations, International Organization, International Relations Theory