Navigating politicization dynamics: Czechia and Slovakia’s role in advancing functional integration through rebalancing EU’s four freedoms

This paper explores the divergence in voting behaviour among Visegrad 4 (V4) countries regarding the revision of the Posted Workers Directive (PWD), focusing on the surprising support from Czechia and Slovakia despite initial dissent. Drawing on the 'garbage can' model of decision-making rooted in organization theory, this contribution unwraps overlooked processes accompanying politicization, particularly the interplay between defining the problems, finding the solutions to these problems and interests represented by actors involved. Supplementing an organizational theory perspective with governmental reports, EU documents, interviews, and media news, it reveals how narratives used in the politicization of the PWD influenced discussions on dual food standards (DFS). The article concludes that politicization could be used as a strategic tool to garner support for recalibrating imbalances in other areas of the Single Market, and contrary to prevailing assumptions, it does not impede, but could further functional integration.