The EU as a Normative Symbol: Perceptions of Political and Media Elites in Spain

Abstract

Democratization occupied a significant weight in Spain’s accession to the European Economic Community. Accession was viewed as a remedy to Spain’s isolation, ‘backwardness’ and questionable ‘Europeanness’. In this process, proEuropean political and media elites and civil society in Spain constructed the EU as a symbol of modernity and democracy. This article examines how media and political elites in Spain conceptualize the role of the EU as symbol and a normative actor, distinguished by its commitment to democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, after almost four decades of accession. By integrating Q methodology with in-depth interviews, we attempt to study the subjective perceptions of elites regarding the role of the EU as a normative actor and whether this role is constructed through identitarian or pragmatic factors.