Publication details
Citizens' Attitudes to the European Union in Times of Crisis
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| Year of publication | 2026 |
| Type | Chapter in a book |
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| Description | This chapter reviews research on European Union (EU) citizens' attitudes to the EU in times of crisis. Since the financial crisis of 2008, the EU has gone from one crisis to another. First came the financial crisis, then the irregular migration crisis, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic, and, most recently, the 2022 Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine. These crises provide public opinion research with opportunities to test theories explaining citizens' support for the EU (the utilitarian theory and the identity theory in particular). Research reviewed in this chapter shows that public support for the EU in times of crisis is, to a considerable extent, shaped by cultural factors such as identity. The chapter argues that EU citizens' attitudes towards the EU are resilient against economic downturns or other adverse events. Nevertheless, an extended crisis (approximately over three years) may lead to some decline in public support of the EU. |
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