Legitimation Strategies in EU Parliamentary Discourse on International Security
Legitimation Strategies in EU Parliamentary Discourse on International Security

Summary/Abstract: Recent conflicts such as the war in Ukraine and the war between Israel and Hamas have focused attention on the role of the European Union as a global actor in international politics. While critics of the EU's role point to its lack of military capabilities, other scholars argue for an expanded understanding of the EU's role in international security, taking into account the non-military means at its disposal. This paper analyzes how discursive strategies of legitimation are employed by members of the EU Parliament during debates on issues related to international security. The analysis focuses on the debate held in the European Parliament in April 2024 regarding the adoption of measures following Iran's attack on Israel. Drawing on the framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (e.g. Van Leeuwen, 2008; Fairclough, 2003), the study examines the speakers' use of discursive evaluation and legitimation in conjunction with modal markers in order to maintain their stance

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