Bolotnik V. Dimension of European integration in the social democratic politics (on the examples of Germany, France and the UK)

The thesis comprehensively investigates the nature and directions of evolution of the European social democratic politics. Research was based on the empirical experience and documents of the German, French and British parties of social-democratic orientation. The matters of analysis include the social-democratic attitude towards the processes of deepening and expanding the European integration. The focus was made on the concepts and processes of post-bipolar period (since 1991). The author analysed specific approaches of the social-democratic governments to the issues of reforms and expansion of the European Union, which lied primarily in the search and implementation of some balance between the major political strategies of modern Europe. The focus was made on the coverage of modernization of the social democratic model of welfare state in the direction of moderating the extremes on behalf of neoliberals and postmodernists. The paper presents a comparative analysis of the positions of European social democrats as to integration within the EU varying widely between federalism, more moderate confederation projects and free union of national states. An important issue was related to the theoretical and conceptual definition of the reasons causing continuous decline of influence which social-democratic parties suffer in the EU countries. It both relates to the ideological transformations and competition between the left and right-wing political movements. The thesis contains theoretical conclusions which summarize research results of the investigated issues