ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the development of two decades of a European party system designed to elect the European Parliament. It explores the reasons for the lack of systemic transformation, which clearly prevents also a stronger systemic transformation of political parties and the political system. The chapter argues that the European party system is in transition. It contains Europeanization, Americanization, and nationalization elements that are due to the uncertain situation of an EP that is still too weak to influence European politics. Parliamentarization needs to go naturally farther than simply enhancing the role of the European Parliament. There is a strong case to strengthen the role of national parliaments at the European level. The European Union is widely conceptualised as a multilevel governance system. Governance is understood as the interplay between political, economic, and social institutions and civil society. The European party system will also have to count on an increase in the Americanization of electoral campaigns and elections.
