From causes to consequences: Investigating the effects of differentiated integration on citizens’ EU support

Research on differentiated integration has paid considerable attention to its causes. However, we know very little about its consequences. Using the synthetic control method and interactive factor models, this article investigates the effects of differentiated integration on citizens’ support for th...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:European Union politics 2023-03, Vol.24 (1), p.206-224
Main Authors: Vergioglou, Ioannis, Hegewald, Sven
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Accession
Citizens
Legitimacy
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Research on differentiated integration has paid considerable attention to its causes. However, we know very little about its consequences. Using the synthetic control method and interactive factor models, this article investigates the effects of differentiated integration on citizens’ support for the EU. We find that in cases where member states are granted an opt-out or are allowed to integrate into a policy area they were previously excluded from, support increases. In contrast, support decreases when member states are not granted a requested opt-out or are excluded from a policy area they would like to join. These findings carry important implications for the EU's legitimacy. While differentiated integration has the potential to enhance citizens’ legitimacy perceptions, it can also undermine them simultaneously.
ISSN:1465-1165
1741-2757
DOI:10.1177/14651165221135742