European Elections and Domestic Politics Lessons from the Past and Scenarios for the Future

This book analyzes how the behavior of voters, parties, and the mass media in European Parliament elections affects domestic politics and how, in turn, domestic politics affects those behaviors. The contributors discuss election turnout and party choice, the contract between the European Parliament and national elections, the importance of citizens' attitudes toward European integration, the relationship between political parties' domestic policies and their stances on European integration, and the ways in which the mass media and election campaigns affect electoral outcomes. On the basis of this information, the authors present possible scenarios for future European elections and their relationship to the domestic politics of the EU member-states.

The product of superb empirical research, European Elections and Domestic Politics is based on a unique combination of data from voter surveys, party manifestos, and mass media reports across all members of the European Union. This book will be essential for anyone interested in the future of the EU.

Wouter van der Brug is professor of politics at the University of Amsterdam, the Netherlands. His research focuses on right-wing populist parties, party systems, elections and campaigns, support for European integration, and political trust. He publishes frequently on these topics in various peer-reviewed journals, and recently co-authored The Economy and the Vote (with van der Eijk and Franklin).

Cees van der Eijk is professor of social science research methods at the University of Nottingham, UK. His research focuses on social science methodology, and on comparative political behavior and processes. He is the author or co-author of fifteen books and numerous articles and chapters in international journals and books. He has been a principal investigator of the European Election Studies project since 1987.