(Un)intended consequences of European parliamentary elections / edited by Wouter van der Brug and Claes H. de Vreese.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Brug, Wouter van der, editor.

Vreese, C. H. de (Claes Holger), 1974- editor.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

European Parliament--Elections.

European Parliament.

Elections.

Physical Description:

xiii, 296 pages ; 24 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

Oxford, United Kingdom : Oxford University Press, 2016.

Summary:

When direct elections for the European Parliament were first organized in 1979, the idea was that such direct elections would increase the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the Parliament. Moreover, the elections were expected to raise public interest, engagement and support for the European project. Did these elections help to increase legitimacy and accountability? Did they increase interest in and support for the 'European project'? Or, did these elections have unintended (and perhaps undesirable) consequences? This volume focuses on the consequences of European elections for public debate and involvement, for party systems, and for public opinion. EP elections have caused a number of intended consequences: the salience of the elections in the media has gone up and over time electoral competition becomes more important, engaging in the campaign can help improve EU evaluations, and Europe as a topic has become more important for voting at EP elections, boosting the prevalence of so-called EU voting. A number of intended consequences have not materialized during the life of the EP so far: knowledge or turnout levels have not gone up and citizens have not become better at judging what political parties are offering. The EP elections have, however, also yielded a number of unintended consequences: EP elections dampen turnout for first time voters in subsequent elections, EP elections cause temporary decline in EU support, and the elections have become a strategic arena for political parties to position themselves on EU issues and for new movements and parties to boost or sustain their success.

Contents:

List of figures

List of tables

List of contributors. Introduction: consequences of European elections / Wouter van der Brug and Claes H. de Vreese. Part 1 Consequences of European elections for public debate and political involvement : Do European elections create a European public sphere? / Hajo G. Boomgaarden and Claes H. de Vreese

Party competition and news coverage of European parliament elections / Chris Hanretty and Susan Banducci

Knowing Europe? The causes and consequences of (lacking) knowledge about the European Union across time and space / Jürgen Maier

How elections to the European parliament depress turnout / Mark N. Franklin and Sara B. Hobolt. Part 2 Consequences of European elections for party systems : EU issue voting in national and European parliamentary elections / Catherine E. de Vries and Sara B. Hobolt

How European elections affect national party systems: on the survival of newly established parties / Radosław Markowski

Campaigning on or downplaying European Union integration? Explaining the salience parties attach to EU matters in European parliamentary election campaigns / Silke Adam and Michaela Maier

Eurosceptic vote deviation and the impact of news media / Sylvia Kritzinger and David Johann. Part 3 Consequences of European elections for attitudes towards Europe : The negative effect of elections to the European parliament on diffuse support for the European project / Laurie Beaudonnet and Mark N. Franklin

Talking it up or talking it down? How national democracy conditions the relationship between talking about and expressing democratic satisfaction with European politics / Hajo G. Boomgaarden

Effects of news media coverage on public support for European integration / Claes H. de Vreese and Hajo G. Boomgaarden

European elections, Euroscepticism, and support for anti-European Union parties / Wouter van der Brug. Part 4 Looking ahead : Conclusion / Claes H. de Vreese and Wouter van der Brug. Author index

Subject index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and indexes (pages [289]-296)

ISBN:

0198757417

9780198757412

OCLC:

920735707