The Economy Strikes Back: Support for the EU during the Great Recession

Abstract: This article looks at the role of economic conditions in shaping people's attitudes to the EU during the Great Recession. In contrast with previous research, findings suggest that in this particular instance support for the EU across Member States was affected by economic factors. In particular, both higher unemployment and higher interest rates were strongly associated with lower levels of support.
Findings also suggest that young Europeans responded more strongly to adverse economic conditions during the crisis. Even though young citizens tend to have more positive attitudes towards the EU than older people, this difference has been significantly reduced in contexts of higher interest rates.