European Political Parties and the Project of European Constitution. Comparison of Attitudes of the European People's Party and the Party of European Socialists and Their Effect on the Process of Preparation of the Project of European Constitution

Abstract

The article focuses on the research of the role of European political parties
during the process of preparation of European constitution by the
Convention on the future of Europe. Its objective is to verify two
hypotheses. The first one assumes that European political parties (for
capacity reasons the article mentions two strongest ones - the European
people's party and the Party of European Socialists), with regard to the
convention procedure had a strong opportunity to influence the draft
establishing the European constitution. Final draft of the Constitution,
therefore, meets their expectations. The second hypothesis supposes that,
with regard to the character of European party system, ideas of both
parties, concerning future development of the European Union, will not be
different but quite the contrary. The analysis is based on five levels. First,
basic ideas of both parties related to the institutional reform and their
opinions on the Treaty of Nice are described. Summing up both parties'
positions towards convention procedure is the second step. Then, the
article turns its attention to the analysis of the parties' activities during the
European Convention. Fourth, a part of the article is dedicated to the
parties' evaluation of the constitution draft. Final part shows the
comparison of the parties' positions towards IGC that should have
approved European constitution.