Civil servants and politics : a delicate balance / edited by Christine Neuhold, Sophie Vanhoonacker, and Luc Verhey.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Neuhold, Christine, 1971- editor.

Vanhoonacker, Sophie, 1962- editor.

Verhey, L. F. M., editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Civil service--Political activity--European Union countries.

Civil service.

Public officers.

Interorganizational relations--Europe.

Interorganizational relations.

Civil service--Political activity.

European Union countries--Politics and government.

European Union countries.

Politics and government.

Europe.

Physical Description:

xv, 246 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm

Place of Publication:

Houndmills, Basingstoke, Hampshire : Palgrave Macmillan, [2013]

Summary:

The relationship between civil servants and politicians is as fascinating as it is complex with their mutual interdependence requiring to cooperate despite the ever-present risk of tension and conflict. For reasons of efficiency it is important that the civil service has a certain degree of independence and detachment from the political process. The requirement of democratically legitimate and accountable decision-making however, demands control at the political level. This comparative study focuses on the changing relations between civil servants and politicians in the European Union in the last two decades. As well as national case studies this book also looks into politico-administrative relations in supranational institutions such as the European Commission and the European Parliament. Book jacket.

Contents:

Part I Civil Servants and Politics: Setting the Scene

1 Introduction / Christine Neuhold Neuhold, Christine, Sophie Vanhoonacker Vanhoonacker, Sophie 3

2 Politicisation: What Is It and Why Should We Care? / B. Guy Peters Peters, B. Guy 12

3 Civil Servants and Politicians: Problems and Future Prospects / Luc Verhey Verhey, Luc 25

4 Civil Servants and Whistle-Blowing: Loyal Neutrality and/or Democratic Ideal? / Geoffrey Hunt Hunt, Geoffrey 45

Part II Politicisation of Civil Servants between Neutrality and Political Activism? Country Studies

5 Civil Servants and Politicians: A Very British Relationship / Diana Woodhouse Woodhouse, Diana 71

6 Managerialism and Politicisation in the Dutch Civil Service / Sandra van Thiel Thiel, Sandra van 90

7 Civil Servants: How to Support the Political Level: The French Case / Frank Baron Baron, Frank 108

8 Civil Service Reform in Slovakia and Hungary: The Road to Professionalisation? / Katarina Staronová Staronová, Katarina, Gyorgy Gajduschek Gajduschek, Gyorgy 123

9 Civil Servants and Politics in Germany / Ulrich Battis Battis, Ulrich 152

Part III Supranational Bureaucracies and Consequences for Administrative Players

10 Commission Civil Servants and Politics: De-Politicised Bureaucrats in an Increasingly Political Organisation / Michael W. Bauer Bauer, Michael W., Jörn Ege Ege, Jörn 173

11 The European Parliament's Administration: Between Neutral and Politicised Competence / Iulian Romanyshyn Romanyshyn, Iulian, Christine Neuhold Neuhold, Christine 205

12 Conclusion / Sophie Vanhoonacker Vanhoonacker, Sophie, Christine Neuhold Neuhold, Christine, Luc Verhey Verhey, Luc 229.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780230304833

0230304834

OCLC:

813931872