IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/sae/eeupol/v19y2018i4p617-638.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The preference for Europe: Public opinion about European integration since 1952

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher J Anderson
  • Jason D Hecht

Abstract

To determine how public opinion matters for the politics of European integration, we need to know what Europeans say about Europe. Yet, despite a proliferation of analyses of public support for Europe, fundamental questions remain. First, does aggregate opinion reflect a single preference for Europe? Second, is the content of opinions similar across countries? Third, have opinions about Europe become more structured over time? Finally, what are the long-term dynamics in opinions about Europe? To answer these questions, we construct a new dataset of historical public opinion since 1952 in France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Over the long run, aggregate opinion toward Europe reflects one dominant underlying dimension and its content is similar across countries. We examine the trends in support for Europe.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher J Anderson & Jason D Hecht, 2018. "The preference for Europe: Public opinion about European integration since 1952," European Union Politics, , vol. 19(4), pages 617-638, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:19:y:2018:i:4:p:617-638
    DOI: 10.1177/1465116518792306
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1465116518792306
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1177/1465116518792306?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Rohrschneider, Robert & Loveless, Matthew, . "Public perceptions of the EU as a system of governance," Living Reviews in European Governance (LREG), Institute for European integration research (EIF).
    2. Janssen, Joseph I. H., 1991. "Postmaterialism, Cognitive Mobilization and Public Support for European Integration," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(4), pages 443-468, October.
    3. Matthew Gabel & Kenneth Scheve, 2007. "Estimating the Effect of Elite Communications on Public Opinion Using Instrumental Variables," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 51(4), pages 1013-1028, October.
    4. Hermann Schmitt & Jacques Thomassen, 2000. "Dynamic Representation: The Case of European Integration," MZES Working Papers 21, MZES.
    5. Eichenberg, Richard C. & Dalton, Russell J., 1993. "Europeans and the European Community: the dynamics of public support for European integration," International Organization, Cambridge University Press, vol. 47(4), pages 507-534, October.
    6. Dalton, Russell J. & Duval, Robert, 1986. "The Political Environment and Foreign Policy Opinions: British Attitudes Toward European Integration, 1972–1979," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 16(1), pages 113-134, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sylvia Kritzinger, 2003. "The Influence of the Nation-State on Individual Support for the European Union," European Union Politics, , vol. 4(2), pages 219-241, June.
    2. Adam William Chalmers & Lisa Maria Dellmuth, 2015. "Fiscal redistribution and public support for European integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 16(3), pages 386-407, September.
    3. Soetkin Verhaegen & Marc Hooghe & Ellen Quintelier, 2014. "European Identity and Support for European Integration: A Matter of Perceived Economic Benefits?," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 67(2), pages 295-314, May.
    4. Ecker-Ehrhardt, Matthias, 2013. "Why do they want the UN to decide? A two-step model of public support for UN authority," TranState Working Papers 171, University of Bremen, Collaborative Research Center 597: Transformations of the State.
    5. Ecker-Ehrhardt, Matthias, 2010. "Problem perception and public expectations in international institutions: Evidence from a German representative survey," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Global Governance SP IV 2010-302, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    6. Ronald D. Gelleny & Christopher J. Anderson, 2000. "The Economy, Accountability, and Public Support for the President of the European Commission," European Union Politics, , vol. 1(2), pages 173-200, June.
    7. Dimiter Toshkov, 2011. "Public opinion and policy output in the European Union: A lost relationship," European Union Politics, , vol. 12(2), pages 169-191, June.
    8. Sabrí Çíftçí, 2005. "Treaties, Collective Responses and the Determinants of Aggregate Support for European Integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 6(4), pages 469-492, December.
    9. Roxana-Otilia-Sonia HRITCU, 2015. "European Integration: A Multilevel Process That Requires A Multilevel Statistical Analysis," CES Working Papers, Centre for European Studies, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, vol. 7(3), pages 728-739, September.
    10. Jo Saglie, 2000. "Values, Perceptions and European Integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 1(2), pages 227-249, June.
    11. Brent F. Nelsen & James L. Guth, 2000. "Exploring the Gender Gap," European Union Politics, , vol. 1(3), pages 267-291, October.
    12. Hans Rattinger, 1994. "Public Attitudes to European Integration in Germany after Maastricht: Inventory and Typology," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(4), pages 525-540, December.
    13. Ignacio Sánchez-Cuenca, 2000. "The Political Basis of Support for European Integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 1(2), pages 147-171, June.
    14. Thomas Christin, 2005. "Economic and Political Basis of Attitudes towards the EU in Central and East European Countries in the 1990s," European Union Politics, , vol. 6(1), pages 29-57, March.
    15. Roxana-Otilia-Sonia Hritcu, 2015. "Multilevel Models: Conceptual Framework and Applicability," Acta Universitatis Danubius. OEconomica, Danubius University of Galati, issue 11(5), pages 72-83, October.
    16. Jørgen Bølstad, 2015. "Dynamics of European integration: Public opinion in the core and periphery," European Union Politics, , vol. 16(1), pages 23-44, March.
    17. Nikoleta Yordanova & Mariyana Angelova & Roni Lehrer & Moritz Osnabrügge & Sander Renes, 2020. "Swaying citizen support for EU membership: Evidence from a survey experiment of German voters," European Union Politics, , vol. 21(3), pages 429-450, September.
    18. Pascal Sciarini & Anke Tresch, 2009. "A Two-Level Analysis of the Determinants of Direct Democratic Choices in European, Immigration and Foreign Policy in Switzerland," European Union Politics, , vol. 10(4), pages 456-481, December.
    19. Julian Aichholzer & Sylvia Kritzinger & Carolina Plescia, 2021. "National identity profiles and support for the European Union," European Union Politics, , vol. 22(2), pages 293-315, June.
    20. Marcel Lubbers & Eva Jaspers, 2011. "A longitudinal study of euroscepticism in the Netherlands: 2008 versus 1990," European Union Politics, , vol. 12(1), pages 21-40, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:19:y:2018:i:4:p:617-638. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: SAGE Publications (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.