Comparing public attitudes on EU membership in candidate countries: the cases of Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey from 2004 to 2011*. Issue 2 (2nd April 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Çarkoğlu, Ali; Glüpker-Kesebir, Gitta
• Is Part Of: Journal of southeast European and Black Sea studies. Volume 16:Issue 2(2016)
• Page Start: 255
• Page End: 274
• Publication Date: 2016-04-02
• Subjects: Public opinion -- European Union -- enlargement -- Croatia -- Macedonia -- Turkey; Balkan Peninsula -- Economic conditions -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Balkan Peninsula -- Politics and government -- 1989- -- Periodicals; Geopolitics -- Balkan Peninsula -- Periodicals; Black Sea Region -- Economic conditions -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Black Sea Region -- Politics and government -- 20th century -- Periodicals; Geopolitics -- Black Sea Region -- Periodicals; 330.9496
• DOI: 10.1080/14683857.2016.1147743
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1468-3857

Abstract

Abstract: Past enlargements of the European Union (EU) have demonstrated that public attitudes on European integration can influence the course of accession processes. Beyond the literature on public EU support in member states and former candidates, the dynamics that shape public attitudes on EU membership within recent candidate countries have not been systematically examined. Analysing nine Eurobarometer (EB) surveys from 2004 to 2011, we argue that evaluations of EU membership in Croatia, Macedonia and Turkey are shaped by utilitarian considerations, belief in various political institutions as well as the fear of losing national identity. The economic crisis of 2008 has changed public opinion towards EU membership in all three countries, but Turkey appears to have been affected the most compared to Croatia and Macedonia.