Support for European Integration

Andrija Henjak*, Gábor Tóka, David Sanders

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Book/Report typesChapterpeer-review

Abstract (may include machine translation)

This chapter examines generalized support for the EU rather than attitudes towards specific institutions and policies. Theories about its origin are subjected to more comprehensive empirical tests than previous analyses attempted, using time-series cross-section data covering all member states from the 1970s to 2007. The dynamic relationship between EU-support and national economic and political developments follows a transfer, rather than substitution logic, while increasing trade with EU member states, high cognitive mobilization, low welfare spending, Catholicism and favourable labour market position all contribute to favourable dispositions towards EU-membership. Other often suggested influences on EU support appear inconsistently across nations or time, which we attribute to the nature of the EU itself that generates diverse, contradictory, and ever-changing expectations among citizens.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationCitizens and the European Polity
Subtitle of host publicationMass Attitudes Towards the European and National Polities
PublisherOxford University Press
Chapter8
Pages169-211
Number of pages42
ISBN (Electronic)9780199949908
ISBN (Print)9780199602339
DOIs
StatePublished - 24 Jan 2013

Keywords

  • Cognitive mobilization
  • Cues
  • Eu-membership
  • Instrumental calculus
  • Political support
  • Public opinion
  • Time-series cross-section

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