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My Voice, My Choice: Soft law inom EU som strategiskt verktyg

Togelid, Ella LU and Frykman, Lova (2026) RÄSK02 20261
Sociology of Law Department
Abstract
This thesis examines the strategic use of soft law instruments within the European
Union’s policy sphere, focusing on the European Parliament's resolution My Voice, My
Choice (2025). In a political and normative multi-level system, where reproductive
health falls under national competence, the study explores how EU-institutions and
actors navigate the tension between national sovereignty, and ideological conflict. The
empirical data, consisting of the resolution and the preceding parliamentary debate, is
analysed through a qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. The
methodological onset combined with a New Legal Pluralist theoretical framework,
including the terms: “semi-autonomous fields”, “juridical mobilization”, and... (More)
This thesis examines the strategic use of soft law instruments within the European
Union’s policy sphere, focusing on the European Parliament's resolution My Voice, My
Choice (2025). In a political and normative multi-level system, where reproductive
health falls under national competence, the study explores how EU-institutions and
actors navigate the tension between national sovereignty, and ideological conflict. The
empirical data, consisting of the resolution and the preceding parliamentary debate, is
analysed through a qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. The
methodological onset combined with a New Legal Pluralist theoretical framework,
including the terms: “semi-autonomous fields”, “juridical mobilization”, and
“vernacularization”, showcase law as a dynamic normative process, constructed in the
interaction between norms.
The findings from the study show a significant discrepancy between the resolution’s
unified human rights sentiment and the ideologically fragmented debate, characterized
by competing interpretations of sovereignty and moral values. The study concludes that
soft law operates as a strategic “amplifier” for normative influence within the EU, rather
than a representation of legal harmonization. By reframing a disputed issue into an
administrative matter, regarding financial support, the resolution pushes a normative
development, sidestepping formal competence barriers. My Voice, My Choice,
demonstrates how juridical mobilization allows actors within the EU to drive progress
in polarized policy fields through hybrid governance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Togelid, Ella LU and Frykman, Lova
supervisor
organization
course
RÄSK02 20261
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
European Union, Ideology, Reproductive rights, Soft law
language
Swedish
id
9246256
date added to LUP
2026-08-14 14:27:03
date last changed
2026-08-14 14:27:03
@misc{9246256,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines the strategic use of soft law instruments within the European
Union’s policy sphere, focusing on the European Parliament's resolution My Voice, My
Choice (2025). In a political and normative multi-level system, where reproductive
health falls under national competence, the study explores how EU-institutions and
actors navigate the tension between national sovereignty, and ideological conflict. The
empirical data, consisting of the resolution and the preceding parliamentary debate, is
analysed through a qualitative content analysis and thematic analysis. The
methodological onset combined with a New Legal Pluralist theoretical framework,
including the terms: “semi-autonomous fields”, “juridical mobilization”, and
“vernacularization”, showcase law as a dynamic normative process, constructed in the
interaction between norms.
The findings from the study show a significant discrepancy between the resolution’s
unified human rights sentiment and the ideologically fragmented debate, characterized
by competing interpretations of sovereignty and moral values. The study concludes that
soft law operates as a strategic “amplifier” for normative influence within the EU, rather
than a representation of legal harmonization. By reframing a disputed issue into an
administrative matter, regarding financial support, the resolution pushes a normative
development, sidestepping formal competence barriers. My Voice, My Choice,
demonstrates how juridical mobilization allows actors within the EU to drive progress
in polarized policy fields through hybrid governance.}},
  author       = {{Togelid, Ella and Frykman, Lova}},
  language     = {{swe}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{My Voice, My Choice: Soft law inom EU som strategiskt verktyg}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}