Reformism in a 'Conservative' System: the European Union and social democratic identity (original) (raw)

The paper explores the evolution of social democracy within the context of the European Union's institutional framework. It argues that contemporary social democratic parties face significant challenges due to the conservative nature of EU governance, which hampers their ability to respond to the traditional 'social question' and undermines their programmatic originality. Key points include the balancing act social democrats must perform between embracing modern ideologies and maintaining their historical identity against a backdrop of increasing neoliberalism within the EU.