ABSTRACT
This conclusion presents some closing thoughts of key concepts discussed in the preceding chapters of this book. The book presents different ways of conceptualizing and defining Europeanization. Ladrech says that it is 'an incremental process reorienting the direction and shape of politics to the degree that European Commission (EC) political and economic dynamics become part of the organizational logic of national politics and policy-making'. Ever since Malta was granted independence from Britain in 1964, the island has both sought out and shied away from direct involvement in the European integration process. The Nationalist Party, which has traditionally been the party of the middle class, business and the Church in Malta, has consistently sought closer relations with the Community. However, it might also be reasonable to hypothesize that particular understandings of Maltese identity will either inhibit or assist in the adaptation process, that is, that identity impacts upon adaptation.
This article reviews Malta’s engagement in a process of Europeanization. ‘Europeanization’ is defined in two ways: as the process of adaptation to European rules and norms; and as a redefinition or restatement of national identity. In the case of the first definition, we find evidence that Malta is indeed Europeanizing. However, in the second sense, the coexistence of two conflicting ‘versions’ of national identity contributes to the party political and societal divide that exists between those supporting EU membership and those opposing it. In this latter sense, there remains a degree of ambivalence surrounding the Europeanization of Malta.
