Class The European Union's Comparative Political Systems

Democracy is the regime that structures the forms of government of the countries that make up the European Union. Following common norms, such as principles of equality, political freedom and expression, and defense of human rights, it presents differences in its governmental organization in dimensions such as form, method, organization, and practice. This curricular unit studies and compares the political systems of the EU Member States in their fundamental constituent elements. It also analyzes the political system of the European Union, comparing it with the dimensions that make up the political systems of the States of the Union. It assesses, in the end, the common organizational structures and the future of the European Union.

- Definition of concepts: political systems, dominant political systems in EU, and the evidence of democracy.

- Political organization of EU countries: elections, ideologies, political parties, political groups, constitutions, legislatures, parliaments, budgetary power, elections, executive, administrative organization, and case studies.

- EU governmental system: executive power, legislative power, constitutional and judicial power, public opinion and social cleavages, elections, political parties and democracy, representativeness, and lobbying groups.

- Europeanisation of national political structures: states as agents of policy implementation, an adaptation of constitutions, the influence of European law, and adaptation to European models.

- Integration dilemmas: the challenges of the new millennium.

Debates, simulations and written exercises in class will be a driving force of the methodologies supporting the teaching-learning process. Lectures and/or study visits, with reports, will bring students closer to the tasks they will perform in their future professions.

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