Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Conference on Sustainability of the European Union’s Institutional Structure, İstanbul, Türkiye, 30 Temmuz 2024, ss.4-5
The results of the 10th European Parliament elections, which took place between 6 and 9 June 2024, a picture that is not very different from the previous parliamentary outlook has emerged. Despite its increasing importance within the EU institutional system and decision-making process, European Parliament elections are seen as a secondary level, but they also appear to be a tool used by voters to reflect their reactions to national governments. When the developments after the elections are followed carefully, it is observed that the results of the European Parliament elections can have a shocking impact on national politics. As in the previous election, the issue of immigration, which is intertwined with economic insecurities, cultural sensitivities, unemployment, socio-economic problems and identity concerns, was one of the most important agenda items of this election. Despite this, it seems that anti-immigration political groups in the Parliament have different approaches and solution proposals regarding migration management. Similarly, it is understood that Euroscepticism integrated with anti-immigration has undergone a transformation, and populist right-wing parties have changed their discourse, stating that they will better protect European values and national interests, and are trying to present a new vision. Despite this transformation and differing approaches, the strengthening of the exclusionary policies of populist right-wing parties on immigration may have important consequences for the future of the EU. The framing of migration as a security threat by these political parties, which are in decision-making positions, has the power to influence the new Pact on Migration and Asylum, which the EU Council adopted in May and is the biggest change in the EU's migration policy in more than a decade. The political parties that make up the anti-immigration groups in the European Parliament are likely to claim that the agreement is inadequate. These groups are expected to frequently call for the improvement of EU border controls and to insist on a stance in favor of processing asylum requests outside the EU. The fact that the parties that make up the political groups have protectionist, nativist and nationalist lines reveal the possibility of the realization of the European imagination of nations instead of the integrated European imagination that envisages the principles of sovereignty sharing and delegation of authority that enable practices such as the abolition of national borders and free trade.
In this study, the assumption that the externalization of migration policies will become more functional in the context of the new discourses and policies of the political groups in the European Parliament will be discussed. In addition, within the scope of the study, the effects of the European Parliament election results on the political consensus tried to be achieved with the Migration and Asylum Pact will be evaluated.
Keywords: 10th European Parliamentary Elections, Migration, Opportunities, Challenges