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Issues that mobilize Europe. The role of key policy issues for voter turnout in the 2019 European Parliament election

Author

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  • Daniela Braun

    (Geschwister-Scholl Institute of Political Science, 9183LMU Munich, Munich, Germany)

  • Constantin Schäfer

    (Institute of Political Science, 9185University of Münster, Münster, Germany)

Abstract

In light of the unexpectedly high turnout in the 2019 European Parliament election, we explore how major transnational policy issues mobilize voters in European electoral contests. Based on the analysis of two data sets, the Eurobarometer post-election survey and the RECONNECT panel survey, we make three important observations. First, European citizens show a higher tendency to participate in European Parliament elections when they attribute greater importance to the issues ‘climate change and environment’, ‘economy and growth’, and ‘immigration’. Second, having a more extreme opinion on the issue of ‘European integration’ increases people's likelihood to vote in European elections. Third, the mobilizing effect of personal issue importance is enhanced by the systemic salience that the respective policy issue has during the election campaign. These findings show the relevance of issue mobilization in European Parliament elections as well as its context-dependent nature.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Braun & Constantin Schäfer, 2022. "Issues that mobilize Europe. The role of key policy issues for voter turnout in the 2019 European Parliament election," European Union Politics, , vol. 23(1), pages 120-140, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:23:y:2022:i:1:p:120-140
    DOI: 10.1177/14651165211040337
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hermann Schmitt & Alberto Sanz & Daniela Braun & Eftichia Teperoglou, 2020. "It All Happens at Once: Understanding Electoral Behaviour in Second-Order Elections," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 6-18.
    2. Esben Hogh & Martin Vinæs Larsen, 2016. "Can Information Increase Turnout in European Parliament Elections? Evidence from a Quasi-experiment in Denmark," Journal of Common Market Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 54(6), pages 1495-1508, November.
    3. Alexia Katsanidou & Ann-Kathrin Reinl & Christina Eder, 2022. "Together we stand? Transnational solidarity in the EU in times of crises," European Union Politics, , vol. 23(1), pages 66-78, March.
    4. Daniela Braun & Markus Tausendpfund, 2020. "Electoral Behaviour in a European Union under Stress," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(1), pages 28-40.
    5. Zipp, John F., 1985. "Perceived Representativess and Voting: An Assessment of the Impact of “Choices†vs. “Echoesâ€," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 79(1), pages 50-61, March.
    6. Anthony Downs, 1957. "An Economic Theory of Political Action in a Democracy," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 65, pages 135-135.
    7. Katjana Gattermann & Claes De Vreese & Wouter van der Brug, 2016. "Evaluations of the Spitzenkandidaten: The Role of Information and News Exposure in Citizens’ Preference Formation," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 4(1), pages 37-54.
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    Cited by:

    1. Lucy Kinski & Ariadna Ripoll Servent, 2022. "Framing Climate Policy Ambition in the European Parliament," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 10(3), pages 251-263.

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