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The changing relationship between left–right ideology and euroscepticism, 1973–2010

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  • Erika van Elsas
  • Wouter van der Brug

Abstract

How is euroscepticism related to left–right ideology in Western European public opinion? We argue that inconsistent findings on this relationship result from the changing nature of European integration over time. Initially, EU market integration mainly sparked left-wing opposition; after Maastricht the intensification of political integration additionally produced nationalist euroscepticism among the political right. Hence, we hypothesize that the relationship between citizens’ left–right ideology and euroscepticism evolved from linear to U-shaped. We test this hypothesis by means of multilevel logistic regression on 74 waves of the Eurobarometer (1973–2010) in 12 EU member states. The results demonstrate an increase of right-wing euroscepticism across countries, whereas the developments on the left are mixed. In the concluding section, we discuss the theoretical and political implications of these findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Erika van Elsas & Wouter van der Brug, 2015. "The changing relationship between left–right ideology and euroscepticism, 1973–2010," European Union Politics, , vol. 16(2), pages 194-215, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:16:y:2015:i:2:p:194-215
    DOI: 10.1177/1465116514562918
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