The development of the European Parliament and the supranational party system

This research analyzes the impact that external increases in the legislative power of the European Parliament (EP) have had on its internal development as well as that of the supranational political groups and the party system. To study these relationships I invoke both macro (environmental) and micro (rational actor) models of legislative development drawn from the literature on the development of the American Congress.; My research demonstrates, through both qualitative and quantitative analyses, that exogenous increases in legislative power and authority have a significant impact on the character of parliamentary and party system development. As the power of the European Parliament has grown its internal organization as well as that of the individual party groups have become increasingly less collegial. Within the Parliament as a whole, the potential to affect legislative outcomes has forced the larger political groups to cooperate in spite of significant ideological differences, resulting in frequent broad coalitions across ideological barriers.; As the powers of the EP have increased, its organizational structures have shifted from generally egalitarian to clearly biased in favor of the larger party groups. Within the groups themselves leaders have attempted to reduce the ability of individual Members to act independently of their party group. This tendency has been mitigated by the increasingly important role of the national delegations within the internal organization of the party groups.; The effect of these trends has been a shift in the institutional character of the European Parliament. As the political power of the EP has increased it has evolved from a impotent, ideologically dogmatic chamber of debate into an effective, well organized, frequently bi-partisan, legislative body.