A poor sales pitch? The European citizens’ initiative and attitudes toward the EU in Germany and the UK

Gherghina, S. and Groh, A. (2016) A poor sales pitch? The European citizens’ initiative and attitudes toward the EU in Germany and the UK. European Politics and Society, 17(3), pp. 373-387. (doi: 10.1080/23745118.2016.1166875)

Abstract

Earlier research about the European citizens’ initiative (ECI) focused on its normative value, functioning mechanisms, and the extent to which citizens are willing to engage with it. So far, little efforts were made to investigate whether the ECI has an effect on citizens’ attitudes. This article provides an empirical assessment about how knowledge about the ECI and the willingness to use it may enhance a positive image about the European Union (EU). The explanatory power of these two variables is tested against other determinants identified in the literature as sources of a positive image about the EU: democratic performance, perception of representation, the pursuit of interests, and citizenship. The study draws on an original data set collected through a web-survey at the beginning of 2015. Results indicate a limited and sometimes counter-intuitive effect of the ECI on the image about the EU with several implications for the future of this participatory tool.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Gherghina, Dr Sergiu
• Authors: Gherghina, S., and Groh, A.
• Subjects: J Political Science > JN Political institutions (Europe)
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Politics
• Journal Name: European Politics and Society
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis
• ISSN: 2374-5118
• ISSN (Online): 2374-5126
• Published Online: 04 April 2016
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2016 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor and Francis Group
• First Published: First published in European Politics and Society 17(3): 373-387
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the publisher copyright policy