Precedent in the Sui Generis Legal Order: A Mine Run Approach

In this article, we use case‐to‐case citation networks to explore the force of precedent in EU law. We introduce a novel methodology to analyse the extent to which references to past decisions act as reasons for decisions in subsequent cases and illustrate the approach on the European citizenship case‐law citation network. We conclude that the cohesive pull of precedent in EU citizenship case‐law is too weak to generate a coherent judicial doctrine, thereby confirming qualitative research on the subject. However, the incursions into competences of the Member States in areas, found only tangential to EU citizenship, form a more consistent underlying story.