Parliamentary Questions, Oversight, and National Opposition Status inthe E uropean P arliament

Abstract

This study examines when and why members of theEuropeanParliament (EP) use parliamentary questions as a form of fire alarm oversight. We argue that the multilevel nature of theEUpolitical system allows members of theEPfrom national opposition parties to use parliamentary questions to alert theEuropean Commission to governments' failures to implementEUpolicy. Representation in theEPprovides the only avenue for such oversight for national opposition parties. Using a new sample ofEPparliamentary questions, we demonstrate thatMEPsfrom national opposition parties are more likely to alert the Commission to violations ofEUlaw in their own member states. These parliamentary questions may lead the Commission to take legal action against member‐state governments.

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