supranationalism

Supranationalism is a form of international cooperation in which states delegate some of their sovereign powers to a higher authority whose decisions are binding on member states. Unlike intergovernmental cooperation, where decisions require consensus among states, supranational bodies can act by majority vote and compel compliance.

The best-known example is the European Union, which operates with institutions such as a supranational commission and a judicial system that can create and enforce rules across member countries. In areas such as trade, competition, and, in the eurozone, monetary policy, member states have ceded significant authority to this central machinery. Other forms of international cooperation remain largely intergovernmental.

Benefits include enhanced policy coherence, expanded markets, risk pooling, and the ability to address cross-border issues more effectively. Critics point to erosion of national sovereignty, democratic legitimacy concerns, and the risk of technocratic governance that is distant from national publics. Some arrangements include opt-outs or subsidiarity checks to preserve national influence.

Historically, supranationalism developed in the wake of World War II and advanced through a series of treaties that created integrated economic and political structures. The European Union is by far the most developed example, with successive treaties such as Maastricht and Lisbon expanding its competences and redefining its governance. In other regions, supranational features appear in economic blocs and regional courts, though most contemporary arrangements combine supranational and intergovernmental elements.