Innovation: a new word in Bulgarian parties’ vocabulary? (Europeanization via policies: Innovation Policies of Bulgarian Political Parties)

Work in Progress

Dragomir Stoyanov

Innovation Research GroupVUZF University

“Innovation: Engine for Economic Growth”

International Scientific ForumVUZF University1 October, 2013

Introduction

• “Process of (a) construction (b) diffusion and (c) institutionalization of formal and informal rules, procedures, policy paradigms, styles, ‘ways of doing things’ and shared beliefs and norms which are first defined and consolidated in the making of an EU decision and then incorporated in the logic of domestic discourse, identities, political structures and public policies.” (Radaelli 2000: 4)

Research questions & method

• “Europeanisation and Political Parties” (Ladrech, 2002)

2 Research questions

• 2009-2013 word-frequency

• Political, economic, social integration

Research method

• “An Empirical Analysis of the Europeanization of National Party Manifestos, 1960-2003” (Pennings 2006)

• Content dictionary • Qualitative

Bulgarian Political Parties – short overview

• Centre-right parties• Left party• Centre/liberal parties• Nationalistic party

Trust in Political Institutions

Bulgarian public support for the EU membership

Europeanisation of Bulgarian political parties (innovation problematic)

• Party manifestos analyses:Political integrationEconomic integrationSocial integration

Innovation and Political integration

• National elections manifestos:Budget

• No left/right competition

Innovation and Political integration (2)

Innovation and Economic integration

• National elections manifestos:Regional policyEnterprise External trade, Agriculture, Competition,

Transport

Innovation and Economic integration (2)

Innovation and Social integration

• National elections manifestos:Education, training and youthResearch and Innovation Employment and social affairs, Information

society

Innovation and Social integration (2)

Conclusion

• Innovation problematic • More to be done:1. Innovation and EP elections 2. Before 20073. After 2007