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Global Power Europe - Vol. 1 pp 55–72Cite as

The Enlarged EU in a Globalized World: A Comparative Analysis of Elite and Public Opinion Support for a Common European Foreign Policy

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Part of the book series: Global Power Shift ((GLOBAL))

Abstract

In the context of the debates on the present and future role of the EU in a globalized world, in this chapter we focus on the prospects for a common EU foreign policy as conditioned by the attitudes of elites and public opinion within the enlarged EU. The main objective is to investigate the patterns of support for the European integration project in the area of foreign, defense and security policy. We analyze the data from a cross-national survey among elites and citizens across Europe, and test explanatory models which provide us with valuable information on what factors drive elite and public opinion attitudes on the issue of a common European foreign policy, controlling for the possible difference between new and old EU member states.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    The IntUne Project (2005–2009) funded under the sixth Framework Programme of the EU, has been coordinated by Maurizio Cotta and Pierangelo Isernia (University of Siena). It covered 18 European countries and involved 29 European institutions with more than 100 scholars of this research team across Europe.

  2. 2.

    Total number of interviews conducted for each group/type of elite: old member states (P 652/M 298/TU 167/Total: 1117), new member states (P 417/M 223/TU 95/Total: 735), the Czech Republic (P 44/M 35/TU = 16/Total: 95), Hungary (P72/M35/TU15/Total: 122), Poland (P 85/M 35/TU 15/Total: 135), Slovakia (P70/M35/TU15/Total: 120), where P stands for Political elite, M for Mass Media elite and TU for Trade Union elite.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Political Science and Public Administration, University of Granada, Calle Rector López Argüeta s/n, 18071, Granada, Spain

    Aleksandra Sojka & Rafael Vázquez-García

Authors
  1. Aleksandra Sojka
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  2. Rafael Vázquez-García
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Aleksandra Sojka .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. , European Union Center, University of Miami, Memorial Drive 1000, Coral Gables, 33146, Florida, USA

    Astrid Boening

  2. Center for Global Studies, Institute for Political Science, Bonn University, Walter-Flex Str. 3, Bonn, 53113, Germany

    Jan-Frederik Kremer

  3. , Chair for International Politcs, Ruhr University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, Bochum, 44780, Germany

    Aukje van Loon

Annex. Summary of variables for the explanatory models of support for single European Foreign Policya

Annex. Summary of variables for the explanatory models of support for single European Foreign Policya

Explanatory dimensions

Variables in the analysis

Operationalization

Socio-demographic

Gender (Woman)

Dummy variable (0 = Man; 1 = Woman)

 

Age (50 and older)

Dummy variable (0 = under 50; 1 = 50 +)

 

Type of elite (Political) (only for elites)

(0 = economic and mass media; 1 = Political)

Identity

How do you see yourself (Exclusively national identity)

(0 = European, European and national; 1 = only national)

Utilitarian conceptions

Country benefited from being a member of the European Union

(0 = has not benefited;1 = has benefited)

Performance

Satisfaction the way democracy works in the European Union

(0 = very and somewhat dissatisfied; 1 = very and somewhat satisfied)

Cognitive mobilization

Education

Highest level (0 = not completed primary education; 6 = university degree completed)

 

Watch news on the TV (Days a week) (only for public opinion)

Scale 0–7

 

Read political news in the press (Days a week) (only for public opinion)

Scale 0–7

New Member State effect

Two groups of countries (New EU member states after 2004 as reference group)

(0 = old member states; 1 = new member states)

  1. aDependent variable (Support for a Single European Foreign Policy): Thinking about the European Union over the next 10 years, can you tell me whether you are in favor or against the following: A single EU foreign policy toward outside countries.

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Sojka, A., Vázquez-García, R. (2013). The Enlarged EU in a Globalized World: A Comparative Analysis of Elite and Public Opinion Support for a Common European Foreign Policy. In: Boening, A., Kremer, JF., van Loon, A. (eds) Global Power Europe - Vol. 1. Global Power Shift. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32412-3_4

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