Contagious Euroscepticism

Abstract

This article examines whether the support for Eurosceptic challenger parties influences mainstream party position change on European integration in Western Europe. The key finding is that Eurosceptic challenger support is capable of influencing mainstream position shifts on European integration provided that, on average, EU issues are regarded as important by the Eurosceptic challengers. Moreover, the centre-left is more affected by Eurosceptic contagion since it is influenced by both radical right and radical left Eurosceptic success, whereas the centre-right is only susceptible to radical right success.

Has Eurosceptic Mobilization Become More Contagious? Comparing the 2009 and 2014 EP Election Campaigns in The Netherlands and France

“…Moreover, the finding that the radical left was not able to mobilize significantly more resonates well with the view that cultural aspects of European integration have become more pervasive than socio-economic conflicts (Hooghe & Marks, 2009;Meijers, 2015).…”

“…The radical right rejects the EU on the basis of identity and sovereignty concerns, while the radical left rejects the EU on the basis of its ingrained marketliberal policies (de Vries & Edwards, 2009). In line with arguments that party competition over cultural issues is becoming more salient (Hooghe & Marks, 2009;Kriesi, 2007), Meijers (2015) has shown that the 'contagion effect' of Eurosceptic success was stronger for the radical right than for the radical left. The radical right's cultural arguments against Europe do not only influence the centre-right, but can also provoke accommodative reactions from the centre-left parties (cf.…”

“…The extant literature has furthermore emphasized that contagion effects depend on both the electoral support of radical parties and their anticipation of electoral advantages by raising the salience of European issues (Meijers, 2015). Following the above arguments on the increasing public politicization of European integration between 2009 and 2014, we argue that both the electoral strength of challenger parties and their possible gains from raising European issues further should have grown during the Eurocrisis and the 'Spitzenkandiaten' initiative.…”

“…Recent work on the topic shows that the success of Eurosceptic radical parties, both from the radical left and radical far right, is capable of influencing mainstream parties to tone down their overall support for European integration (Meijers, 2015). Moreover, Van de Wardt (2015) shows, for the case of Denmark, that parliamentary activities of challenger parties on European integration provoke salience shifts by mainstream parties.…”

Ever closer or lost at sea? Scenarios for the future of transatlantic relations

“…Anti-European political sentiments could force mainstream parties to take more careful positions in EU negotiations in an attempt to court moderately anti-European voters at home. There is some evidence to suggest that fringe parties have already contributed to a shift in the political agendas for governing parties in core member states (Meijers 2015).…”