N44 - Economic History: Government, War, Law, International Relations, and Regulation: Europe: 1913-Return

The aim of the article is to present different facets of those movements that have been opposed to European Union in France since the early 90's. Our purpose is not to describe the historical development of these movements, but to present their doctrines as well as the various alternatives which they offer. A close analysis focuses on two main "anti-European" groups - "sovereigntists" and "alter-Europeans". The first, who tend to recruit in the right-wing electorate, though not exclusively, reject the establishment of a supranational and federal Europe. They recall nostalgically the period of "Thirty Years of Glory" and dream of restoring the Gaullist welfare state with its controlled economy. They worry about the growing unrestrained influence of the U.S.A. in Europe and want to return to a foreign policy based on national sovereignty. The second brings a whole nebula of parties and groups who describe themselves as members of the revolutionary left. Eschewing an open rejection of the integration process, they call for another Europe - one more social, more democratic, more ecological, and different from the present one. Despite their differences, sovereigntists and alter-Europeans share a rejection of liberalism and the United States.

Based on a thorough analysis of several EU presidencies in the early 21st century Swedish political scientist Jonas Tallberg created a concept that identifies ways of how Presidency countries work on the creation of their program. In this concept, Tallberg conceptualizes the proces of agenda setting in a broader way and particularly focuses on structuring already existing topics and issues. Tallberg argues that there are three relevant dimensions - socioeconomic, regional and constitutional - shaping Presidency's political preferences. In 2004, the group of Central and Eastern European countries, which share different political, economic and social experience than the old EU member states, joined the EU. Some of these newcomers have already presided over the Council of the EU. The article about analysis of the Czech Presidency aims to review Tallberg's concept for new member countries.