The Politics of Differentiated Integration: What do Governments Want? Country Report - Cyprus

Abstract

There was never any prevalence of debates about differential integration and future of European integration in Cyprus. European issues have always been secondary in local debates, except when they tend to affect Cyprus directly, the de facto partition of the country and the potential for its resolution or economic and political interest of Cypriots. During pre-accession times the completion between political forces to appear more European than their opponents but the Europeanisation processes were rather superficial. In the post accession period, political debates were primarily shaped by a competition between Government, opposition forces, political parties and leaders who often debate about who is better fit to manage the various European policies in the political life of Cyprus, rather than genuinely debating about the nature, direction and character of the European Union, its future direction in terms of integration processes and the potential. After the 2013 austerity measures, Eurosceptical views and sentiments were developed which questioned the initial unconditional support for the EU integration processes. Nevertheless, differential integration is not a subject that has any prominence in Cypriot politics or public debates.

Keywords: Cyprus problem, de facto partition, catalyst, resolution, Europeanisation.