Policy Issues, Organisational Format and the Political Strategies of Interest Organisations

Abstract: Contemporaneously, the study of EU lobbying appears somewhat disconnected from other sub-areas within the study of EU politics. Research tends to be focused on single issues - either particularistic or directional - and concentrates on communicative interaction modes that emphasise network governance, ignoring the electoral side of politics. This essay's main objective is to make the politics component of interest group politics more intelligible. The core argument is that interest group strategies, as well as potential influence, are not adequately explained by resources only. In response to this, a framework is built that links different interaction modes (arguing, bargaining and voting) with political strategies (inside and outside), organisational formats and the nature of political issues.