ABSTRACT
Introduction: the Radical Left and Europe The relationship between the left and European integration has always involved a tension. On the one hand, the left has always sought to portray itself as a fundamentally internationalist political philosophy, committed to promoting peaceful cooperation between states. On the other, translating that commitment to support for European integration has never been easy. Left-wing parties have always been suspicious of the process, attracted by the spirit of cooperation but wary of the policies. In the case of the social democratic left, those concerns have over time been almost entirely over-ridden and the parties have become strong advocates of the European Union (EU). But further to the left, the tension remains an important factor. This chapter will examine the transnational Radical Left, evaluating how they have dealt with the twin pressures: the Europeanising pull of working within the EU and the Eurosceptic push of rejecting the Union.
