[attach id=488834 size="medium"][/attach]

Mario Thomas Vassallo
The Europeanization of Interest Groups in Malta and Ireland: A Small State Perspective.
Palgrave Macmillan, 2015. 300 pp

In Malta, the 2015 referendum on spring hunting was preceded by a vigorous campaign led by a coalition of interest groups to collect enough signatures to prompt this electoral exercise. The same interest groups took centre stage during the campaign.

Similarly, the referendum which ratified the 34th amendment to the Constitution of Ireland (thereby prompting the recognition of same-sex marriage) was preceded by rare consensus among all political parties and a campaign led largely by interest groups and the Church.

Interest groups seem to be increasingly influencing the political agenda. Both issues have been debated at EU level and both have staunch supporters within the EU’s structures. This has prompted some to question the extent to which the EU influences interest groups.

In his recently published book, The Europeanization of Interest Groups in Malta and Ireland: A Small State Perspective, Mario Thomas Vassallo, a lecturer at the Department of Public Policy at the University of Malta, seeks to address such issues.

There is a strong case for a comparative study between Ireland and Malta. Both countries are EU member-states and peripheral island states at the “fringes of an integrated continent.” The two political systems are also remarkably similar; they use the Single Transferable Vote and have two major parties with an antagonistic relationship towards one another.

The Irish and the Maltese economies have experienced significant transformations in the recent past. In both countries, secularisation and consumerism have challenged the attitudes towards the once-dominant Roman Catholic Church.

Both states have a centralised power structure which is often a source of contention. Yet despite this centralisation, “power does not necessarily emanate from the nation state”.

Vassallo contends that “the EU presents us with an unprecedented and striking case involving the blurring of the demarcating line between domestic and external affairs, which eventually is constructing a continental political platform, causing spillover effects over national polities”.

Interest groups seem to be increasingly influencing the political agenda

His book seeks to “explore the impact of the EU on domestic interest groups” and to confirm “whether or not change among domestic interest groups has been significant or marginal, as a result of EU influence”.

These interest groups have the capacity to change the whole process of public policy. Governments now find them-selves “more disposed to enter into agreements with civil society to implement social and economic projects for the benefit of society and the economy”.

The book seeks to examine four aspects which define the character of an interest group; namely its internal structures, its responsiveness to domestic policy-making, its involvement at EU level and the attitudes of its members.

He focuses on four types of interest groups, which include trade unions, employers’ associations, social and human rights organisations and environ-mental groups. This varied choice of interest groups helps to present a cross-sectional view of different policy domains and enhances the credentials of this study and its author.

Vassallo raises pertinent points which enrich our discussion on the dynamic relationship between governments, non-state actors and supranational institutions.

He remarks that interest groups have an important role in the policy process and they contribute best when there is a “political culture that is highly consultative, participative and inclusive”. Fostering such a culture goes beyond mere political posturing; it simplifies the decision making process by “ensuring the legitimacy of political decisions and leading to policy success”.

The study concludes that there is widespread consensus among both the Irish and the Maltese interest groups that the EU provides “both scope and tools to motivate institutional and social innovation back home”.

Yet, there are still some barriers. In both countries, social, human rights and environmental interest groups believe their organisations are given “second class” status when compared to trade unions and employers’ organisations. The latter are equipped with access to the higher echelons of government while the former “enjoy only a superficial treatment by politicians and top civil servants”.

This, perhaps, echoes the ubiquitous attitude which places business and labour interests ahead of any other considerations.

The book also provides an insight into differing attitudes prevalent in both countries. While employers and trade unions in Malta are concerned with political polarisation, the same segment in Ireland is worried about the general weakness of the political left which ultimately undermines the strength of trade unions.

There are, equally, some diverging views on smallness; an Irish trade unionist describes it as a “curse” while a Maltese counterpart describes it as a “blessing”. Interestingly, however, there seems to be consensus on the disadvantages of living on an island.

One of the great strengths of this brilliant scholarly re-search lies in its methodo-logical rigour. Vassallo adopts both qualitative and quantitative methods of analysis. Two hundred and seventy two interests groups in Malta and in Ireland participated in this study whilst a further 50 individuals were interviewed at length for the purpose of this book. These were coupled with 260 observations.

This study is also ground-breaking, since it serves as a starting point for similar studies in other small states within the EU including Cyprus, Latvia, Luxembourg, Estonia, Lithuania, Slovenia and Slovakia.

Vassallo’s research gives nuance to the study of governance and explores in depth the dynamics of politics and policy making. It is presented at a time when interest groups are increasingly becoming more relevant and visible in the public arena. In this regard, it is to be praised and commended.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.