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Karlsson, Christer, ProfessorORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-4702-788x
Publications (10 of 76) Show all publications
Karlsson, C., Mårtensson, M. & Persson, T. (2024). Dimensions of disagreement in EU affairs: is parliamentary opposition driven by left-right or European integration contestation?. West European Politics
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Dimensions of disagreement in EU affairs: is parliamentary opposition driven by left-right or European integration contestation?
2024 (English)In: West European Politics, ISSN 0140-2382, E-ISSN 1743-9655Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study provides new insights regarding how the EU dimension relates to the left-right dimension in national politics. It does so by examining to what extent parties’ oppositional behaviour in EU affairs in parliament is a function of their distance to the government, other parties, the voters and party supporters on the EU dimension and the left-right dimension, respectively. The results suggest that oppositional behaviour is determined by two parallel dynamics: When expressing opposition, political parties are receptive both to the positions of the government and other parties on the EU dimension, and to the positions of voters and supporters on the left-right dimension. Our results thus indicate that the politicization of EU affairs in national parliaments primarily is an elite phenomenon. In their relation to the voters and supporters, parties still primarily navigate along the traditional left-right dimension.

Keywords
oppositional behaviour; political contestation; party competition; European Union affairs; national parliaments
National Category
Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalisation Studies)
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-520938 (URN)10.1080/01402382.2024.2307164 (DOI)
Funder
Swedish Research Council
Available from: 2024-01-16 Created: 2024-01-16 Last updated: 2024-02-12
Karlsson, C., Persson, T. & Mårtensson, M. (2024). Do Members of Parliament Express More Opposition in the Plenary than in the Committee?: Comparing Frontstage and Backstage Behaviour in Five National Parliaments. Parliamentary Affairs, 77(1), 173-195
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Do Members of Parliament Express More Opposition in the Plenary than in the Committee?: Comparing Frontstage and Backstage Behaviour in Five National Parliaments
2024 (English)In: Parliamentary Affairs, ISSN 0031-2290, E-ISSN 1460-2482, Vol. 77, no 1, p. 173-195Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This study attempts to break new ground by systematically comparing oppositional behaviour of Members of Parliament (MPs) in the two key arenas found in parliament: the plenary and the committee. Do MPs express more opposition frontstage in the plenary than backstage in the committee when discussing European affairs? The article sheds new light on political opposition in parliament by using a dataset of hand-coded statements made by MPs during plenary debates and European Affairs committee deliberations in five national parliaments. The results lend strong support to the main hypothesis that MPs express more opposition during plenary debates than committee deliberations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Oxford University Press, 2024
Keywords
European Union Affairs, National Parliaments, Oppositional Behaviour, Parliamentary Opposition, Plenary Debates
National Category
Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalisation Studies)
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-489909 (URN)10.1093/pa/gsac016 (DOI)000818968400001 ()
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017-02931Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, 2014.0011
Available from: 2022-12-05 Created: 2022-12-05 Last updated: 2024-02-21Bibliographically approved
Persson, T., Karlsson, C., Lehmann, F. & Mårtensson, M. (2023). Drivers of parliamentary opposition in European Union politics: Institutional factors or party characteristics?. Journal of European Public Policy
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Drivers of parliamentary opposition in European Union politics: Institutional factors or party characteristics?
2023 (English)In: Journal of European Public Policy, ISSN 1350-1763, E-ISSN 1466-4429Article in journal (Refereed) Epub ahead of print
Abstract [en]

A vital political opposition is one of the cornerstones of democracy, yet we know surprisingly little about the conditions that shape it. In this paper, we offer a comprehensive assessment of the drivers of parliamentary opposition in European Union (EU) politics in five countries: Denmark; Germany; Ireland; Sweden; and the United Kingdom. Based on an extensive hand-coded data set of 7,520 statements made by members of parliament (MPs) during both plenary sessions and deliberations during European Affairs Committee (EAC) meetings, we examine how institutions and party characteristics shape two types of oppositional behaviour: the expression of critique and the presentation of alternatives. We find that both factors are important for understanding to what extent, and how, opposition is voiced in national parliaments. Oversight institutions’ strength and a party’s degree of Euroscepticism jointly function as significant determinants of the likelihood that MPs will express opposition in the form of critique. However, when it comes to the likelihood of offering alternatives, oversight institutions’ strength fails to explain variations in the share of alternatives, while degree of Euroscepticism remains a significant predictor.

Keywords
Opposition; European Union; parliament; institutions; parties; Euroscepticism
National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science; Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-489928 (URN)10.1080/13501763.2022.2162567 (DOI)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017-02931
Available from: 2022-12-06 Created: 2022-12-06 Last updated: 2023-02-28
Karlsson, C., Mårtensson, M. & Persson, T. (2023). Is Oppositional Behaviour in European Union Affairs Gendered? Evidence from Plenary Debates and Committee Deliberations in Four Legislatures. Journal of Common Market Studies
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Is Oppositional Behaviour in European Union Affairs Gendered? Evidence from Plenary Debates and Committee Deliberations in Four Legislatures
2023 (English)In: Journal of Common Market Studies, ISSN 0021-9886, E-ISSN 1468-5965Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Is oppositional behaviour in legislatures gendered? Despite a growing literature on gender and legislative behaviour, there is a conspicuous absence of research on differences between female and male members of parliament (MPs) when it comes to one of the key aspects of parliamentary debates: the voicing of opposition. This article connects the literature on gender and legislative behaviour with opposition scholarship. We examine the role of gender for oppositional behaviour in four legislatures with a focus on debates concerning European Union affairs. Our results show that female MPs generally are equally likely to express opposition as their male colleagues. This result, however, is conditioned by government status. Whilst there is no significant difference between the proportion of opposition expressed by female and male MPs from opposition parties, we find that male MPs representing government parties express more than twice as much opposition as their female colleagues.

National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-515238 (URN)10.1111/jcms.13507 (DOI)
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017‐02931
Available from: 2023-10-29 Created: 2023-10-29 Last updated: 2023-11-07
Persson, T., Karlsson, C. & Mårtensson, M. (2023). The influence of Eurosceptic challenger parties on mainstream party behaviour: Is oppositional behaviour contagious?. Party Politics, 29(1), 100-111
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The influence of Eurosceptic challenger parties on mainstream party behaviour: Is oppositional behaviour contagious?
2023 (English)In: Party Politics, ISSN 1354-0688, E-ISSN 1460-3683, Vol. 29, no 1, p. 100-111Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Previous research has looked at how Eurosceptic challenger parties can cause mainstream parties to change their policy positions and bring about adjustments to their programmes. We explore whether this contagion effect extends to the parliamentary behaviour of mainstream parties in European Union (EU) affairs. The empirical analysis is based on a large-scale study of 6215 statements made by national parliamentarians in the European Affairs Committee of Sweden between 1995 and 2016. A dynamic panel analysis of the data shows that the oppositional behaviour of Eurosceptic challenger parties has a significant impact on the opposition statements made in EU affairs by mainstream parties. These findings have important implications for the general understanding of factors that drive national EU opposition.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Sage Publications, 2023
Keywords
Euroscepticism, political opposition, party behaviour, mainstream parties
National Category
Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalisation Studies)
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-453797 (URN)10.1177/13540688211051663 (DOI)000748788300001 ()
Funder
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, 2014.0011Swedish Research Council, 2017-02931
Available from: 2021-09-22 Created: 2021-09-22 Last updated: 2023-07-12Bibliographically approved
Karlsson, C. & Persson, T. (2022). Comparing oppositional behaviour in European Union affairs: empirical evidence from six member states. West European Politics, 45(2), 286-310
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Comparing oppositional behaviour in European Union affairs: empirical evidence from six member states
2022 (English)In: West European Politics, ISSN 0140-2382, E-ISSN 1743-9655, Vol. 45, no 2, p. 286-310Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This article offers a comprehensive comparison of oppositional behaviour in European Union (EU) affairs in six countries: Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. By drawing on a unique data set of hand-coded statements made by Members of Parliament during European Affairs Committee (EAC) meetings it provides new knowledge on political opposition. The data uncover that there is more opposition expressed in EU affairs than has been assumed by previous research. The results also reveal that there exists considerable cross-national variation in oppositional behaviour during EAC deliberations in the six countries. The study finally shows that Eurosceptic parties are key drivers of opposition in EU affairs, especially when it comes to opposition directed at the EU political system.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Taylor & Francis, 2022
Keywords
Opposition, national parliaments, parliamentary opposition, European affairs committees, European Union
National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-420732 (URN)10.1080/01402382.2020.1814618 (DOI)000572196200001 ()
Funder
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, MMW 2014.0011
Available from: 2020-09-30 Created: 2020-09-30 Last updated: 2022-04-06Bibliographically approved
Karlsson, C., Mårtensson, M. & Persson, T. (2022). Parlamentet som arena för opposition i EU-politiken: Ödeland eller konfliktzon?. In: Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt;Anna Michalski;Lars Oxelheim (Ed.), EU mellan federalism och flexibel integration: (pp. 85-114). Stockholm: Santérus Förlag
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Parlamentet som arena för opposition i EU-politiken: Ödeland eller konfliktzon?
2022 (Swedish)In: EU mellan federalism och flexibel integration / [ed] Antonina Bakardjieva Engelbrekt;Anna Michalski;Lars Oxelheim, Stockholm: Santérus Förlag, 2022, p. 85-114Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Santérus Förlag, 2022
Series
Europaperspektiv, ISSN 1403-3879 ; 25
National Category
Social Sciences Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-468566 (URN)978-91-7359-179-9 (ISBN)
Projects
The Paradox of Political Opposition in Multilevel Europe: Examining Plenary Debates in Thirteen Parliaments
Funder
Swedish Research Council, 2017-02931
Available from: 2022-02-28 Created: 2022-02-28 Last updated: 2023-09-05Bibliographically approved
Albrecht, F., Karlsson, C. & Persson, T. (2021). Patterns of Parliamentary Opposition: Empirical Evidence from the Deliberations in the German Bundestag’s Committee on European Union Affairs. Parliamentary Affairs, 74(1), 230-251
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Patterns of Parliamentary Opposition: Empirical Evidence from the Deliberations in the German Bundestag’s Committee on European Union Affairs
2021 (English)In: Parliamentary Affairs, ISSN 0031-2290, E-ISSN 1460-2482, Vol. 74, no 1, p. 230-251Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

This article examines patterns of oppositional behaviour in the German Bundestag’s Committee on European Union Affairs (EAC) for two separate legislative periods (2005–2009 and 2009–2013). The study makes two contributions to previous research. It, first, shed some much-needed empirical light on political opposition in the Bundestag by examining how much and what kind of opposition exists in the German EAC. Secondly, the article examines the differences in oppositional behaviour of the Members of Parliament between the two legislative periods following an institutional reform in 2009 that afforded the Bundestag with increased opportunity structures in Europen Union affairs.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Oxford University Press, 2021
Keywords
European Affairs Committees, European Union, German Bundestag, National parliaments, Parliamentary opposition
National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-400714 (URN)10.1093/pa/gsz048 (DOI)000649353100011 ()
Funder
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, MMW2014.0011
Available from: 2020-01-02 Created: 2020-01-02 Last updated: 2021-06-03Bibliographically approved
Persson, T., Mårtensson, M. & Karlsson, C. (2019). Eurosceptic Challenger Parties and Political Opposition in European Union Politics: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?. Scandinavian Political Studies, 42(3-4), 245-269
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Eurosceptic Challenger Parties and Political Opposition in European Union Politics: Part of the Problem or Part of the Solution?
2019 (English)In: Scandinavian Political Studies, ISSN 0080-6757, E-ISSN 1467-9477, Vol. 42, no 3-4, p. 245-269Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Despite extensive research on Eurosceptic challenger parties, our knowledge of their influence on political opposition has so far been sparse. In this article we make an in-depth assessment of parliamentary EU opposition, based on 4,264 statements made by national parliamentarians in the European Affairs Committees (EACs) of Denmark and Sweden. Our analysis shows that the presence of Eurosceptic challenger parties in the national parliamentary arena impacts patterns and practices of EU opposition significantly. A greater presence of ‘hard’ Eurosceptic parties in parliament is associated with more opposition in EU politics. These parties deliver a vast majority of the polity-oriented opposition towards the EU and present more policy alter- natives than mainstream parties. The findings presented have implications for our understand- ing of national parliamentary EU opposition as well as for the assessment of the impact of Eurosceptic challenger parties on the process of European integration. 

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
John Wiley & Sons, 2019
National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-395958 (URN)10.1111/1467-9477.12152 (DOI)000497237800008 ()
Funder
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation, MMW.2014.0011
Available from: 2019-10-26 Created: 2019-10-26 Last updated: 2024-02-15Bibliographically approved
Karlsson, C., Mårtensson, M. & Persson, T. (2019). Hur mycket opposition finns det i svensk EU-politik?. In: Anna Wetter Ryde & Göran von Sydow (Ed.), EU i riksdagen: (pp. 37-60). Stockholm: Svenska institutet för europapolitiska studier (Sieps)
Open this publication in new window or tab >>Hur mycket opposition finns det i svensk EU-politik?
2019 (Swedish)In: EU i riksdagen / [ed] Anna Wetter Ryde & Göran von Sydow, Stockholm: Svenska institutet för europapolitiska studier (Sieps) , 2019, p. 37-60Chapter in book (Other academic)
Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Stockholm: Svenska institutet för europapolitiska studier (Sieps), 2019
Series
Sieps, ISSN 1651-8942 ; 2019:1op
National Category
Political Science
Research subject
Political Science
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-376530 (URN)978-91-86107-82-6 (ISBN)
Funder
Marianne and Marcus Wallenberg Foundation
Available from: 2019-02-06 Created: 2019-02-06 Last updated: 2020-08-20Bibliographically approved
Projects
Constitutional Amendment or Constitutional Alteration? [P09-0692:1-E_RJ]; Uppsala UniversityThe Paradox of Political Opposition in Multilevel Europe: Examining Plenary Debates in Thirteen Parliaments [2017-02931_VR]; Uppsala University
Organisations
Identifiers
ORCID iD: ORCID iD iconorcid.org/0000-0002-4702-788x

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