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What guides citizen support for redistributive EU measures as a response to COVID-19: Justice attitudes, self-interest or support for European integration?

Author

Listed:
  • Doris Unger

    (Department of Political Science, 153616University of Mainz, Germany)

  • Jürgen Sirsch

    (Department of Political Science, 153616University of Mainz, Germany)

  • Daniel Stockemer

    (School of Political Studies, 6363University of Ottawa, Canada)

  • Arne Niemann

    (Department of Political Science, 9182University of Mainz, Germany)

Abstract

In 2020/2021, the EU and its member states had to tackle the largest shock of the twenty-first century yet, the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 led to an unprecedented health and economic crisis. In this article, we analyse public opinion on redistributive EU measures based on an original survey in Austria, Germany and Italy and ask whether EU citizens support a common aid package, common debt and redistribution to those countries that are economically most in need. Testing the influence of three explanatory concepts – self-interest, justice attitudes and general support of European integration – we find that all three explanatory concepts have predictive power. However, we find stronger effects on support for EU-level redistribution for citizens’ instrumental calculations concerning whether their country benefits from EU aid, and on general support for EU integration, than for justice attitudes.

Suggested Citation

  • Doris Unger & Jürgen Sirsch & Daniel Stockemer & Arne Niemann, 2023. "What guides citizen support for redistributive EU measures as a response to COVID-19: Justice attitudes, self-interest or support for European integration?," European Union Politics, , vol. 24(3), pages 578-600, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:eeupol:v:24:y:2023:i:3:p:578-600
    DOI: 10.1177/14651165231166284
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Achillefs Papageorgiou & Waltteri Immonen, 2023. "How supranational institutions benefit from crises: Member states’ solidarity and the EU's image during the COVID-19 pandemic," European Union Politics, , vol. 24(3), pages 601-621, September.
    2. Irina Ciornei, 2025. "Supranational redistribution and support for European integration," European Union Politics, , vol. 26(3), pages 526-551, September.

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