When votes do not translate into power: Influence capabilities of Germany in the context of JHA negotiations in the Council of the EU

This article sheds light on the mobilization of member states on Justice and Home Affairs (JHA) matters in the context of negotiations at the Council of the EU. Investigating the case of the German government, the member state with the greatest voting power in the Council, through two recent negotiations, this research illustrates how "large" member states are not systematically able to shape Council policymaking processes, as a result of the individual capacities of their negotiators and the efficiency of their coordination system.