European political parties and the reframing of sustainability: discursive shifts and integration dynamics in the EU

Purpose This research paper aims to examine the evolving sustainability narratives and their impact on European Union (EU) integration, with a particular focus on responses to major external crises. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative thematic analysis of party manifestos, parliamentary debates and legislative initiatives from the 2019–2024 term, the study examines how European Political Parties (EuPPs) influenced sustainability discourse during two critical junctures: the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Findings The analysis demonstrates that sustainability narratives are dynamic and crisis-responsive. While the pandemic reinforced frames centred on resilience, cohesion and social investment, the war in Ukraine shifted emphasis towards energy security, strategic autonomy and industrial competitiveness. These discursive shifts are not uniform but vary by party family, ideology and national context – highlighting the contingent and contested nature of EU sustainability governance. Research limitations/implications The study is limited by its focus on publicly available parliamentary data and two crisis episodes. Future research could adopt longitudinal and comparative approaches, integrate voting behaviour analysis or examine internal deliberations to understand better how party-based narratives evolve. These findings contribute to debates on how political contestation shapes regulatory instruments central to sustainability management, including disclosure standards and just transition mechanisms. Practical implications The paper offers insight into how sustainability goals are reframed through political discourse under crisis, and how such reframing affects regulatory ambition and cross-party alignment. Understanding these dynamics can support more robust and adaptive policy design in the face of shifting priorities. Social implications The findings indicate that neglected aspects, such as a just transition, deserve much more attention to avoid delegitimisation of further European integration steps. Originality/value This study highlights the central role of EuPPs as discursive agents in shaping sustainability narratives and institutional outcomes. It contributes to bridging research on European integration, crisis governance and sustainability management, and responds directly to calls for analysing the evolving discursive foundations of EU sustainability policy.