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The geography of EU discontent

Author

Listed:
  • Dijkstra, Lewis
  • Poelman, Hugo
  • Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés

Abstract

Support for parties opposed to European Union (EU) integration has risen rapidly, and a wave of discontent has taken over the EU. This discontent is purportedly driven by the very factors behind the surge of populism: differences in age, wealth, education, or economic and demographic trajectories. This paper maps the geography of EU discontent across more than 63,000 electoral districts in the EU-28 and assesses which factors push anti-EU voting. The results show that the anti-EU vote is mainly a consequence of local economic and industrial decline in combination with lower employment and a less educated workforce. Many of the other suggested causes of discontent, by contrast, matter less than expected, or their impact varies depending on levels of opposition to European integration.

Suggested Citation

  • Dijkstra, Lewis & Poelman, Hugo & Rodríguez-Pose, Andrés, 2020. "The geography of EU discontent," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 101307, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    • Handle: RePEc:ehl:lserod:101307
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    anti-Europeanism; anti-system voting; populism; economic decline; industrial decline; education; migration; European Union;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes

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