How politics matters for EU funds’ absorption problems – a fuzzy-set analysis

摘要: This article explores the role of politics for member states’ absorption problems European Union (EU) funds. Existing research relies solely on influence administrative capacities, but more recent evidence points at additional relevance as party politicization implementation process. Drawing this evidence, I argue that parties alternating in control EU funds change priorities and even management staff according to their preferences. These changes interrupt implementation, weaken thereby also contribute problems. The argument is tested a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis 17 operational programmes building large infrastructure new states EU. results strongly support frequent alternation low capacities leading conjunction Low are found be an important, crucially not sufficient condition