Political culture and Europeanization: How informal rules shape formal political processes

⁠In his new book Europeanization and Informal Networks in Southeastern Europe (2025, Routledge), Alexander Mesarovich ⁠(European University Institute) considers the impact of political culture, including informal rules which regulate political behaviour, on formal political processes. Exploring the EU accession processes of Slovenia, Croatia, and Serbia, Mesarovich identifies how the working and social culture of political elites enabled and/or constrained the ability of the respective legislatures to pass the reforms necessary to become members of the EU.

In episode 21, Alexander Mesarovich joins the External to discuss the key insights from his research.