Tjänst eller björntjänst? En studie av europaparlamentarikernas röstningsbeteende gällande EU
s tjänstedirektiv
European ParliamentServices DirectiveVoting behaviourMEPsLabour market.Political and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
When studying the voting behaviour of the Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) concerning the Services Directive within the EU, what patterns can be observed? With a starting point in previous findings about voting behaviour, this study analyses the results of the given Roll-call votes in the European Parliament in regards to the Services Directive. Here I focus on the division of votes within and between the member states and the parliamentary political groups; with the aim to identify patterns that might show clash of opinion concerning this issue. I found that ideology seems to play a role in the MEPs voting behaviour. Parties on the far left reach the highest level of cohesion and together with the party on the far right, they voted against the Directive, but due to different reasons. The political parties in favour for the Directive are the major ones in the ideological middle, and slightly to the right. The minor member states have a greater level of cohesion, and the member states level of export of services does not explain the voting behaviour of their MEPs.