Librería Portfolio

Helps readers understand the contours of public opinion towards the EU
Provides extensive analysis of existing survey data and presents novel experimental data from 18 member states
Provides an innovative approach to understanding attitudes to European integration and the EU



The European Union (EU) is facing one of the rockiest periods in its existence. No time in its history has it looked so economically fragile, so unsecure about how to protect its borders, so divided over how to tackle the crisis of legitimacy facing its institutions, and so under assault of Eurosceptic parties. The unprecedented levels of integration in recent decades have led to increased public contestation, yet at the same the EU is more reliant on public support for its continued legitimacy than ever before.

This book examines the role of public opinion in the European integration process. It develops a novel theory of public opinion that stresses the deep interconnectedness between people´s views about European and national politics, and suggests that public opinion cannot simply be characterized as either Eurosceptic or not, but rather consists of different types. This is important because these types coincide with fundamentally different views about the way the EU should be reformed and which policy priorities should be pursued. These types also have very different consequences for behaviour in elections and referenda. Euroscepticism is such a diverse phenomenon because the Eurozone crisis has exacerbated the structural imbalances within the EU. As the economic and political fates of member states diverged, people´s experiences with and evaluations of the EU and national political systems also grew further apart. The heterogeneity in public preferences that this book has uncovered makes a one-size-fits-all approach to addressing Euroscepticism unlikely to be successful.



Table of Contents

Part One: Public Opinion and European Integration
Introduction: Losing Hearts and Minds? Taking Stock of EU Public Opinion
1: What Is the Matter with Europe? The Puzzles of Euroscepticism
Part Two: The Nature of Support and Scepticism
2: In or Out? A Benchmark Theory of Support and Scepticism
3: Kicking Up a Fuss? From Permissive to Responsive Support and Scepticism
Part Three: A Typology of Support and Scepticism
4: A Divided Public? Types of Support and Scepticism
5: Common People? Who Are Supporters and Sceptics and What Do They Want?
Part Four: The Consequences of Support and Scepticism
6: Going Hard or Soft? Party Choice of Supporters and Sceptics
7: Brexit and Beyond: Leave and Remain Preferences of Supporters and Sceptics
Part Five: Public Opinion and The Future of Europe
8: Change or Die? Reform Preferences of Supporters and Sceptics
Conclusion: A Divided Public, a Divided Union: Where Do We Go From Here?