The european policy of the Spanish Communist Party (1972-‍1999): From the pro-european switch to euroscepticism

Abstract

The objective of this work is to analyse the European policy evolution of the Communist Party of Spain (PCE) and the United Left Party since the years of the democratic transition until the beginning of the Monetary Union. Using sources of the PCE’s historical archive, publications of the communist organization and complementary sources proceeding from other parties and institutions, the adaptations and changes in the political trajectory of Spanish communism are analyzed concerning European integration. From a theoretical and methodological point of view, the perspective is adopted of the Europeanization of Spanish political life deriving from the integrative process and its possible influence on this trajectory. The conclusions make it possible to verify that Europeanization was a conditional factor not only for the policy of the PCE towards the EU, but also for its strictly national policies and strategies. The interweaving between European politics and the national politics of Spanish communism originated in a first stage a critical Europeanism that subsequently, after the Maastricht Treaty, evolved towards Eurosceptical positions.