Ticket to Brussels. One-way or Return? Profiles and typology of Greek MEPs, 1981-2019


Published: Jul 26, 2021
Keywords:
European Parliament career paths Greek MEPs
Manina Kakepaki
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9785-4560
Yiannis Karayiannis
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2057-1535
Abstract

This article analyses the socio-demographic characteristics of all Greek MEPs elected to the European Parliament in the nine European elections from 1981 to 2019. We present new data on Greek MEPs and explore whether the demographic characteristics of those elected after 2014 (when the method of selecting candidates changed) and their social and political capital are different from the attributes of the previous Greek political class. We then move on to explore the relationship between the national and the European parliaments, questioning the extent to which the European Parliament functions as a starting point for political careers in the national arena, and whether it serves as a field for the emergence of a ‘supranational elite’, with distinct characteristics from those of the domestic elite, or whether it is a form of golden retirement for the domestic elite. Based on the available data, we propose a typology of Greek MEPs and analyze the specific characteristics of each type.

Article Details
  • Section
  • Articles
Downloads
Download data is not yet available.
Author Biographies
Manina Kakepaki, National Centre of Social Research (EKKE)
Researcher, Institute of Political Research, National Centre of Social Research
Yiannis Karayiannis, University of Crete
Assistant Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Crete
References
Bale, T., and Taggart, P. (2006). First timers yes, virgins no: The roles and backgrounds of new members of the European Parliament. SEI Working Paper N° 89.
Beauvallet, W. and Michon, S. (2010). Professionalization and socialization of the members of the European Parliament. French Politics, 8 (2), pp. 145-165.
Beauvallet-Haddad, W., Michon, S., Lepaux, V. and Monicolle, C. (2016). The changing composition of the European Parliament: MEPs from 1979 to 2014. French Politics, 14 (1), pp. 101-125.
Best, H. and Cotta, M. (eds.) (2000). Parliamentary representatives in Europe 1848 - 2000. Legislative recruitment and careers in eleven European countries. Oxford University Press.
Bíró-Nagy, A. (2019). The career paths of Central European MEPs. Political experience and career ambitions in the European Parliament. Romanian Journal of Political Science, 19 (1), pp. 88-114.
Bovens, M., and Wille, A. (2017). Diploma democracy. The rise of political meritocracy. Oxford University Press.
Carey, J. M., and Shugart, M. S. (1995). Incentives to cultivate a personal vote: A rank ordering of electoral formulas. Electoral Studies, 14 (4), pp. 417-439. https://doi.org/10.1016/0261-3794(94)00035-2
Cotta, M. (2018). Political elites beyond the Nation-State? In H. Best and J. Higley (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of political elites (pp. 643-656). Palgrave Macmillan.
Daniel, T. W. (2015) Career behaviour and the European Parliament. All roads lead through Brussels?. Oxford University Press.
Daniel, W. and Metzger, T. S. K. (2018). Within or between jobs? Determinants of membership volatility in the European Parliament, 1979–2014. The Journal of Legislative Studies, 24 (1), pp. 90-108.
Drettakis, M. (1991) The Anatomy of the Parliament 1974-1990 [Η ανατομία της Βουλής 1974-1990]. Athens: Gutenberg.
Edinger, M., and Fiers, S. (2007). The European Parliament and the making of a supranational elite. ECPR Joint Session 7-12 May, Helsinki.
Farrell, D M., and Scully, R. (2007). Representing Europe’s citizens? Electoral institutions and the failure of parliamentary representation. Oxford University Press.
Gaxie, D. (2018). Political and social background of political elites. In H. Best & J. Higley (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of political elites (pp. 489-506). Palgrave Macmillan.
Hazan, R. Y. and Rahat, G. (2010). Democracy within parties: Candidate selection methods and their political consequences. Oxford University Press.
Kakepaki, M. (2016). The gender dimension of representation. Women as a small minority. In M. Kakepaki (ed.), Political representation in modern Greece. Characteristics and profile of the members of the Greek Parliament 1996-2015 (pp. 109-134). EKKE - Papazisis (in Greek).
Kakepaki, M. (2018). New actors, old practices? Candidate selection and recruitment patterns in Greece. In X. Coller, G. Cordero, and A. Jaime-Castillo (eds.) The selection of politicians in times of crisis (pp. 98-114). Routledge.
Kakepaki, M., and Karayiannis, Y. (2016). Professional politicians and political professions in the Greek Parliament. In M. Kakepaki (ed.) Political representation in modern Greece. Characteristics and profile of the members of the Greek Parliament 1996-2015 (pp. 85-108). EKKE - Papazisis (in Greek).
Karayiannis, Y. (2007). ‘Governing parties’ and politics in contemporary Greece. Greek Political Science Review, 29, pp. 61-89. https://doi.org/10.12681/hpsa.14648 (in Greek).
Kountouri, F. (2016). Dimensions of the cultural and political capital of parliamentary elites. Exploring continuities and discontinuities. In M. Kakepaki (Ed.) Political representation in modern Greece. Characteristics and profile of the members of the Greek Parliament 1996-2015 (pp. 45-83). Athens: EKKE - Papazisis (in Greek).
Navarro, J. (2012). The cognitive rationality of role choices: Evidence from the European Parliament. In M. Blomgren, and O. Rozenberg (eds.), Parliamentary roles in modern legislatures (pp. 184-210). Routledge.
Papathanassopoulos, S. (2004). Politics and mass media. The case of Southern Europe. Athens: Kastaniotis. (in Greek).
Pitikin, H. (1967). The concept of representation. University of California Press.
Raunio, T. (2000). Losing independence or finally gaining recognition? Contacts between MEPs and national parties. Party Politics, 6 (2), pp. 211-223.
Salvati, E. (2016). Towards a European parliamentary class? A proposal for a typology of MEPs. Journal of Comparative Politics, 9 (1), pp. 59-74.
Sartori, G. (1970). Concept misinformation in comparative politics. The American Political Science Review, 64 (4), pp. 1033-1053.
Scarrow, S. E. (1997). Political career paths and the European Parliament. Legislative Studies Quarterly, 22 (2), pp. 253-263.
Teperoglou, E. (2016). The other ‘national’ elections. The history of the European elections in Greece 1981-2014. Papazisis (in Greek).
Verzichelli, L. and Edinger, M. (2005). A critical juncture? The 2004 European elections and the making of a supranational elite. The Journal of Legislative Studies, 11 (2), pp. 254-274.
Whitaker, R. (2014). Tenure, turnover and careers in the European Parliament: MEPs as policy-seekers. Journal of European Public Policy, 21 (10), pp. 1-19.
Most read articles by the same author(s)