ABSTRACT This article introduces the DEU IV dataset , the latest iteration of the Decision‐making in the European Union project. While previous versions focused on the Council of the EU, DEU IV systematically applies the framework to the European Parliament (EP) for the 2019–2024 term. The dataset employs the spatial model of politics to map the latent preferences of political groups, the Commission, and the Council across 113 controversial policy issues. The dataset is constructed using triangulated semi‐structured interviews with 119 policy experts, supplemented by document coding and amendment analysis. By capturing the pre‐negotiation ideal points and the final legislative outcomes, DEU IV reveals the internal mechanics of supranational bargaining and the influence of legislative committees. This paper details the selection criteria for the 31 legislative dossiers analysed, demonstrates the dataset's empirical robustness, and discusses its potential to advance our understanding of how preferences transform into policy within the world's most complex transnational parliament.
ABSTRACT This paper redefines wicked problems to better include the emotional dimensions in the social construction of these problems. Drawing on research into policy controversies and the cultural politics of emotions, it examines how government leaders use emotional storylines tied to specific objects and thereby shape the contested‐ness of such problems. The study is based on an interpretative analysis of 2381 newspaper articles (2012–2018) and 68 policy documents concerning earthquakes induced by natural gas‐production in the north of the Netherlands. The findings show a shift from emotional storylines about material impacts of the earthquakes to those about distrust in relationships between governmental layers. The study highlights that government leaders must account for evolving emotional dynamics in governing wicked problems, as they add complexity. It underscores the importance of relational dimensions, including interactions between emotions, objects, and different levels of government.
ABSTRACT Do policy experts advance their positions more successfully in legislative negotiations? Using novel data on professional backgrounds, education, and special interest ties, we examine the extent to which individual characteristics of Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) shape legislative outcomes across five key European Parliament committees. Drawing on DEU IV data on group‐level positions, we test whether MEPs best suited to serve as committee rapporteurs are also most effective at influencing policy results. We identify the conditions under which expertise and stakeholder connections strengthen legislative impact within the Parliament's committee system. Results show that MEPs with relevant expertise and demonstrated interests can more successfully shape committee positions, but these advantages disappear in inter‐institutional negotiations. Effects also vary by type of expertise and interest. Overall, findings highlight how legislator backgrounds influence party leaders' choices of committee leadership and internal policy coordination.
ABSTRACT Taking a perspective that combines policy studies and comparative law, this article examines how European University Alliances (EUAs), originating from the European Universities Initiative (EUI), dynamically challenge the national legal frameworks for higher education and traditional notions of institutional autonomy. The article finds the EUI has acted like a magnifying glass on governance and legal issues that have existed for some time, but have gained new attention as a result of the activities of the EUAs. Challenges confronted by the EUAs are discussed such as how to legally and politically harmonize understandings of institutional autonomy, which differ across nation state; a challenge that is heighted when an EUA seeks to establish a single legal entity. Using the Arqus EUA as an example, the article analyses the influence of the EUI on the higher education laws of the nine states members of this EUA are based in (Austria, France, Germany/Saxony, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, and Spain) highlighting the diverse yet discernible impact that the EUI has had on national higher education laws and governance thus far. The article presents the EUAs as incubators for genuine European integration and legal coordination. A new layer of governance is identified reshaping national higher education systems by challenging traditional frameworks of autonomy, regulation, and coordination between national and supranational levels.
ABSTRACT Public acceptance is essential for implementing effective health policies, especially in emotionally sensitive areas like companion animal care. This study investigates how policy design and implementation affect public acceptance of disease prevention and control measures for household pets in Switzerland. Using qualitative analysis of 22 stakeholder interviews and a workshop with 22 participants, the research identifies key factors influencing public acceptance, such as emotional bonds between owners and pets, trust in authorities, and communication quality. Veterinarians emerge as especially influential due to their trusted role in relation to pets and their health. The study also highlights stakeholder‐specific expectations and the need for early, transparent communication from the side of public authorities. Further, it identifies distinct owner subgroups that require tailored strategies. The findings contribute to policy design by applying and extending acceptance theory frameworks and offering practical insights into enhancing compliance and support for pet‐related health policies through stakeholder collaboration and emotionally aware communication.
