Giacomo Benedetto

Dr Giacomo Benedetto serves as Reader in European Politics at Royal Holloway, University of London's Department of Politics, International Relations and Philosophy. Awarded a Jean Monnet Chair in European Union Budget Policy in 2016, he directs the interdisciplinary BA in European Studies and acts as Associate Editor for the European Journal of Government and Economics. His expertise spans EU budgetary systems, comparative party politics, and institutional dynamics within European governance structures.

His academic foundation includes:

• BA from University of Sussex
• MSc (Econ) from London School of Economics and Political Science
• PhD from London School of Economics and Political Science (2005)

Benedetto's research program critically examines the European Union's budgetary architecture, revenue mechanisms, and fiscal evolution. His work investigates the political economy of EU budget negotiations, the impact of crises on integration, and comparative analyses of social democratic parties across Europe. He explores how constitutional frameworks shape budgetary outcomes and how Euroscepticism influences EU policy-making processes, combining historical analysis with contemporary institutional challenges.

His recent publications reveal a consistent focus on EU budgetary resilience amid crises, with increasing attention to post-pandemic recovery mechanisms and Next Generation EU funding implications. The scholarship demonstrates interdisciplinary convergence between political science, public finance, and European studies, emphasizing practical governance implications alongside theoretical contributions to integration theory and fiscal federalism debates.

Key recognitions include:

• Jean Monnet Chair in European Union Budget Policy (2016)
• Fellowship of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA) (2017)
• You're Valued Award from Royal Holloway (2020)

As a supervisor, he has guided PhD completions including Dr Ana-Iuliana Postu (2015) on European Parliament committees, Dr Albena Kuyumdzhieva (2018) on EU counter-corruption policy, and Dr Adrian Hawley (2019) on gig economy regulation. Current supervisees include Diana Bartmann researching UK parliamentary ethics violations. His consultancy portfolio features high-impact engagements with the EU High Level Group on Own Resources (2015-2016), European Parliament committees, House of Lords sub-committees, and European Court of Auditors (2022), alongside commissioned research for major Brussels think tanks.

Benedetto leads Royal Holloway's Centre for European Politics, Democracy and Elections initiatives and directs two active Jean Monnet Chair projects (2022-2025) on EU crisis recovery and budgetary innovation. He maintains strategic partnerships with the EUROSCI Network, Foundation for European Progressive Studies, and European Policy Centre, facilitating transnational research collaborations on European integration challenges.