Transitions seminar | The development of the European political class in the EP

This paper presents a systematic empirical analysis of career patterns of all 3654 MEPs having served in the EP over the last 40 years (1979-2019) and discusses how the attractiveness accessibility and availability of EP offices have shaped MEPs’ career patterns. The main conclusion is that the development of a European political class is a distinctive trend that took place early with the institutionalisation of the EP albeit with important differences across EPGs and Member states. However we complementary observe that the transformation of party systems and the electoral rise of Eurosceptic parties have been challenging the Europeanisation of the political class. Overall we argue that these latest developments could even result in a process of (de-)Europeanisation. Indeed as legislative institutions are as strong as the individuals serving into them these transformations could undermine the EP’s formal policy- making capacity in the mid- and long-terms.