PhD Research

The Franco-German relationship is at the heart of the European Community. It has been associated with European economic integration and the expanding borders of Europe. Social Policy has been the poor relation in Franco-German and European politics. It is a similar story with Franco-German studies. Despite its importance in European welfare, employment and pensions, convergence of different national social policy systems has been politically difficult to sell to voters. My research reassesses social policy in the Franco-German relationship. In the last few years economic crisis in the Eurozone, the adoption of austerity measures to decrease public spending and near bankruptcy of several European nations. In 2011 France and Germany jointly advocated the Euro Plus Pact and called for convergence of labour markets, banking system and welfare and public spending. This is not a unique event, historically when faced with a crisis the Franco-German alliance pushed European integration further. Interestingly it shows a Franco-German attempt to bring a European wide social policy, rather than uphold separate national systems. My research will reassess this historical relationship, how monetary and economic reform has driven the social policy agenda in each country, Franco-German relationship and the European Community.