How Elections Change the Way Citizens View the European Union

• In Event: Poster Session: European Politics and Society & New Political Science
  In Poster Session: Poster Session: European Politics and Society

Abstract

European Parliament Elections have been primarily viewed as the opportunity to express support for the European Union (EU), and lower turnout has been interpreted to reflect low salience, low interest and even Euroscepticism by voters. However, democratic theory posits that elections should make citizens feel better about the institutions and political process. Prior studies find a theoretical link between electoral participation and maintenance of political efficacy and system support. However, this relationship has been rarely teste d in the context of the EP elections. Given declining voter turnout and increasing cynicism about the EU, the questions about whether and how EP elections influence voters’ perceptions of the EU are particularly important. Utilizing a representative sample in Germany, I investigate whether and how different aspects of EP elections (voting, different forms of campaign participation, and electoral outcomes) influence changes in the way people view the EU. The results show that different aspects of EP elections exercise distinct effects on political efficacy, government approval, and support for the EU.

Author

• Hyeonho Hahm, University of Mannheim