Informing or Guiding? The Influence of Party Politicisation of the European Union on Public Opinion Formation

Abstract

How do individual predispositions towards national politics influence public opinion formation on the EU? This article addresses this question by unveiling the moderating role of party politicisation of the EU. Using individual-level and country-year-level data from 25 EU, results reveal the complex and different ways in which party politicisation of the EU influences the effect of individual predispositions towards national politics on attitudes towards the EU. Citizens are less likely to rely on short-term utilitarian appreciations of the national economy or trust in national institutions to form their views on the EU as the degree of party politicisation of the EU increases. Against this backdrop, party politicisation of the EU is a vehicle for a more autonomous process of opinion formation. However, the way citizens mobilise their predispositions towards other cultures and out-group members, such as immigrants, is not dependent on the level of party politicisation of the EU.

Mariana Carmo Duarte

Postdoctoral Researcher

My research interests include public opinion, party competition, EU politicisation, migration, and survey analysis