ABSTRACT
The debates about re-weighting of votes and the extension of QMV reflect the expectation that the politics of the Council pitch member states against member states. Given the nature of the Council as the main forum for the representation of member state interests, that is justified. But the politics of the Council go beyond the confrontation between different member state positions. Indeed, the development of the Council-the expansion in the number of sectoral Councils-is a powerful illustration of the way in which the concept of ‘national interest’ needs to be unpacked when studying the politics of the European Union. Looking at the relationship between the various Councils reveals the differences in opinion not just between, but also within countries.
