Moderates and Conservatives in Western Europe. Political Parties, the European Community and the Atlantic Alliance

The political parties of western Europe’s Centre Right have been surprisingly neglected in contrast to the parties of the Left. The object of this book is to shed light on these parties which include the 'Gaullists' and 'Giscardians' in France, the Christian Democrats in Germany and Italy, the Conservatives in Britain and the Democratic Centre Union in Spain; the Liberal parties in these countries are also covered. The parties are studied within the western European dimension which allows an exploration of the relations between them, and of their attitudes towards the development of the European Community and the Atlantic alliance. As the book makes clear, one reason for the lack of earlier studies is the difficulty of defining its scope. Even when the enquiry is limited, as this one has been, to the main Centre Right parties of the five biggest countries of western Europe – Britain, France, Germany, Italy and Spain – considerable diversities between the parties exist. After a chapter giving brief 'profiles' of each party, the next six chapters (each written by a leading political scientist from the country concerned) deal individually with the parties: 'Gaullists' and 'Giscardians' in France, Christian Democrats in Germany and Italy, Conservatives in Britain, and the Democratic Centre Union in Spain. These are followed by an analysis of the position of Liberal parties in the same countries, some of which have at times been allied or associated with the Centre Right of the political spectrum. Three concluding chapters assess the prospects of the Centre Right parties agreeing on the establishment of institutional links among themselves and of co-operative relationships in the European Parliament; on key questions of economic policy; and on policies for the Atlantic alliance in East-West relations. The research project which led to this book was designed by the European Centre for Political Studies and the Italian Institute of International Affairs. The chapters were discussed in draft form at an international conference attended by leading European and American analysts, diplomats and politicians. The result is a unique survey of an important dimension of European-American relations, which will be of value to a wide readership involved in both the academic study and day-to-day practice of the affairs of Europe and the Atlantic alliance.

Results of a research project conducted by the Istituto Affari Internazionali (IAI) and the Policy Studies Institute (PSI). Published also in the United States: Cranbury, Associated University Presses, 1983, ISBN 0-8386-3201-7, 978-0-8386-3201-7. Published also in Italian as I partiti moderati e conservatori europei, Pordenone, Studio Tesi, April 1983 (Piccola & economica ; 15).