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The Influence of Political Events on Attitudes Towards the European Union

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  • SEMETKO, HOLLI A.
  • VAN DER BRUG, WOUTER
  • VALKENBURG, PATTI M.

Abstract

This two-wave panel study was designed to investigate the effects of the media coverage leading up to and including an important European Union event (a summit meeting of EU leaders) on citizens’ attitudes towards the EU and European integration. A random sample of 817 citizens in the Netherlands was surveyed one month before the Amsterdam Summit in June 1997 and three days after it had ended. Two types of attitudes towards Europe were distinguished by scaling analysis: (a) national–pragmatic attitudes towards the EU and (b) supranational–idealistic attitudes towards the EU. Results indicated that supranational–idealistic attitudes were influenced positively as a result of the media coverage related to the summit, whereas national–pragmatic attitudes did not show a significant change. A control variable, attitudes towards immigrants, which was included to detect possible testing effects, showed no change. Effects of the summit’s media coverage were in the same direction across all levels of political knowledge and political attentiveness. When predicting change in supranational–idealistic attitudes, controlling for the original attitude and political knowledge, those who were most attentive to politics were more strongly influenced. These findings challenge traditional views of the impact of knowledge, attention and interest on attitude change.

Suggested Citation

  • Semetko, Holli A. & Van Der Brug, Wouter & Valkenburg, Patti M., 2003. "The Influence of Political Events on Attitudes Towards the European Union," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 33(4), pages 621-634, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:bjposi:v:33:y:2003:i:04:p:621-634_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Hajo G. Boomgaarden & Andreas R. T. Schuck & Matthijs Elenbaas & Claes H. de Vreese, 2011. "Mapping EU attitudes: Conceptual and empirical dimensions of Euroscepticism and EU support," European Union Politics, , vol. 12(2), pages 241-266, June.
    2. G Johnes, 2005. "Nations will fall? Revisiting the economic determinants of attitudes to European integration," Working Papers 566772, Lancaster University Management School, Economics Department.
    3. Bert N Bakker & Claes H de Vreese, 2016. "Personality and European Union attitudes: Relationships across European Union attitude dimensions," European Union Politics, , vol. 17(1), pages 25-45, March.
    4. Giorgio Malet & Stefanie Walter, 2024. "The reverberations of British Brexit politics abroad," European Union Politics, , vol. 25(1), pages 63-85, March.
    5. repec:lan:wpaper:4816 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. repec:lan:wpaper:4512 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Anna Brosius & Erika J van Elsas & Claes H de Vreese, 2019. "How media shape political trust: News coverage of immigration and its effects on trust in the European Union," European Union Politics, , vol. 20(3), pages 447-467, September.
    8. repec:lan:wpaper:4384 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. repec:lan:wpaper:4385 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Dennis M. Foster & Jonathan W. Keller, 2010. "Rallies and the “First Imageâ€," Conflict Management and Peace Science, Peace Science Society (International), vol. 27(5), pages 417-441, November.
    11. Erik R Tillman, 2012. "Support for the euro, political knowledge, and voting behavior in the 2001 and 2005 UK general elections," European Union Politics, , vol. 13(3), pages 367-389, September.

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