What differentiated integration does to political parties: The example of the French Communist Party (1950-1989)

European integration changes the conditions under which political parties operate and position themselves. It is a challenging issue for them as European integration lends itself to contradictory interpretations. It contains elements of differentiation which complicate the problem and the elaboration of a clear political stance. Through a socio-historical study of the PCF’s position-taking process, this article demonstrates that differentiation elements are more taken into account by actors with specialised European expertise. However, their ability to influence the party’s political line depends on their alliances within generalist political staff and on the national political situation.