https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/105632 Thu, 09 Apr 2026 06:08:29 GMT 2026-04-09T06:08:29Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/111105 Title: The EU global gateway as a reaction towards China's belt and road initiative Abstract: The unveiling of the European Union Global Gateway was met with the outright assumption that it is a reactive endeavour towards China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This theory was the main inspiration for this research; thus, this study aims to deduce whether the EUGG can be considered a response to China’s Belt and Road Initiative. This research provides further understanding of the Global Gateway by explaining and evaluating its components. Moreover, the background and broader context, together with the political, economic and legal factors at play, are described. In addition, the study touches upon the inspiration and the process behind the Global Gateway to garner understanding and assess the implications that the Belt and Road initiative may have had. This research draws a comparison between the 2016 European Union Global Strategy and the Global Gateway, based on the concepts introduced by the former. Beyond shedding light on the correlation of the mentioned concepts and the Global Gateway, this study also provides a prediction of the concepts’ purpose whilst also drawing further understanding of the application of the Global Gateway. This study utilises a grounded theory strategy with a primarily inductive approach based mostly on qualitative data. In addition, a review of the pertinent available literature and primary sources formed an essential part of the research process. The European Union Global Gateway, the Belt and Road Initiative, and the European Union Global Strategy were thoroughly examined using qualitative and secondary quantitative data. The Global Gateway can be interpreted as a culminating moment in a transformative process which builds upon various connectivity strategies and other policies, particularly the 2016 European Union Global Strategy. Thus, the Global Gateway is a global policy, a platform encapsulating strategic policies under one domain with targeted intent, thus with high potential. The influence that can be accorded towards the role of the Belt and Road initiative vis-à-vis the Global Gateway can be deduced as an ingredient rather than the focal point. However, it is an indispensable element of the context and background that led to the Global Gateway. An all-important correlation drawn out by this research is the 2016 European Union Global Strategy elements at play in the Global Gateway. These concepts provide a prediction of an ambitious Global Gateway which may transform the conventional manner of the European Union’s approach toward elements of external action. They provide a further understanding of the operation of the Global Gateway, which may see a more pragmatic approach and a renewed front of political momentum and charge by member states and several actors in a ‘Team Europe’ approach. Finally, whilst elements of pragmatism in this new conventional approach can be deduced, the fundamental principles and values of the European Union remain a sine qua non. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/111105 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110898 Title: The Syrian refugee crisis and consequences of EU financial aid to Turkey Abstract: The EU-Turkey relationship is one of the most interesting and complex relationships the EU has with a non-EU member. The differences in religion, culture and overall lifestyle creates a fascinating dynamic. However, it has been prone to several tense moments in its history. Yet, it was due to this unique relationship that led to the topic of this dissertation. Within this dissertation the effects of the Syrian refugee crisis of 2015 on the overall bilateral relations between Turkey and the EU will be analyzed. Special focus will be given to the financial aspect which has become such a high-profile issue area in the last couple of years. These changes and developments in bilateral relations were undertaken by means of several case studies that span the years from 2010 up to the current date. From the analysis of these studies, it became clear that the major effect of the Syrian refugee crisis on these bilateral relations is that for the dependency on its economic soft power might lead the EU into critical condition in the future. This work shows that the socio-political crisis that the refugee flows caused in Europe have led the negotiations between Turkey and the EU to be in favor of the former; which has never happened before. The lack of military organization and a shared asylum policy will lead the EU to become increasingly internally divided and an easier target to other foreign powers if no unified EU action is taken in the near future. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110898 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110897 Title: The decline of anti-establishment parties in Greece, Italy and Spain Abstract: After a stunning wave of gaining swathes of seats and percentages in national general and legislative elections and European elections, anti-establishment parties around Europe, one after another began to drop that support in a similar length of time that they gained it. From knocking on the doors of power and holding the key to the formation of governments in numerous European countries, these parties suddenly began to lose that kind of influence. This research zooms in on the cases of three southern EU member states and four anti-establishment parties within those countries – the Five Star Movement (Italy), Podemos (Spain), Syriza and Golden Dawn (both Greece). This research pieces together empirical observations and the common patterns with the literature of party support, public opinion and leadership to answer the question of what explains this decline for anti-establishment parties in these countries. In line with the bottom-up approach, this research combines the empirical observations in Greece, Italy and Spain with the theories relating to party support, public opinion and leadership to enable the presentation of two hypotheses – one arguing that political parties now come second behind the image of individual politicians (H1), and the other that anti-establishment parties lose support when their message no longer matches the public opinion concerns (H2). Through two detailed case studies examining the operations of the Five Star Movement and Golden Dawn, as well as two further case studies on public opinion in Greece and Italy, H1 is supported whereas H2 is disproven. The research question is, therefore, able to be answered by the phenomenon of politicians before political parties. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110897 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110896 Title: The euro crisis and shifts in popular euroscepticism in Southern EU member states Abstract: The aim of this dissertation is to investigate and examine the existence of Popular Euroscepticism within the Southern EU Member States. This peripheral region of the EU was selected since the European Sovereign Debt Crisis manifested as an asymmetric shock for the EU, whereby the Southern EU MS endured more detrimental consequences to their economies. This presents an interesting case study whereby one can observe the fluctuating levels of Popular Euroscepticism in these states, and then compare the data with the timeline of economic growth of the same states, thus establishing a more nuanced understanding of the impact that periods of austerity have on the citizens’ perception of the EU. Further research is done to provide context to the case studies, since there are underlying variables that may have affected the results other than the independent (Euro Crisis) and dependent (Austerity) variables. The case studies will be inspected throughout the period 2006 to 2019 and will explore the degree to which rising levels of Popular Euroscepticism can be found coinciding with the implementation of EU-imposed austerity measures. A comparative case study using the Most Similar Systems Design (MSSD) method will be used to determine the conclusions for the questions raised above. The case studies were selected for the dissertation based on three variables; they belong to the Southern European geographical region, they were members of the Eurozone by 2008, when the Euro Crisis started, and they experienced negative GDP growth to some degree. This set of criteria produced a total of six case studies: Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. By comparing the experiences of these case studies in terms of the Euro Crisis (independent variable) and ensuing austerity measures (dependent variable), it was determined that there is indeed a positive correlation between the two. This was proven by exhibiting that levels of Popular Euroscepticism increased in every case study that was obliged to implement austerity measures. In the case of Malta, which was the only Member State at the time to not implement austerity measures (negligible cuts and reforms), there was no recorded increase in the levels of Popular Euroscepticism. In recognition of the need for a more nuanced investigation, it should be noted that this conclusion is merely indicative of a pattern and does not imply that the same rule applies to any other group of case studies in any other period. Other aspects that could have contributed to fluctuating levels of Popular Euroscepticism such as Party-based Euroscepticism, austerity measures imposed by the national governments (rather than imposed by the EU), and the national political climate, are taken into consideration in the individual case studies. This establishes a more well-rounded understanding of the circumstances that may have led to an increase in Popular Euroscepticism. Description: M.A.(Melit.) Sat, 01 Jan 2022 00:00:00 GMT https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/110896 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z