Does the messenger matter? A comparison of the effects of Eurosceptic messages communicated by mainstream and radical right-wing parties on citizens' EU attitudes. Issue 3 (3rd July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Maier, Michaela; Adam, Silke; Maier, Jürgen
• Is Part Of: Journal of elections, public opinions & parties. Volume 27:Issue 3(2017)
• Page Start: 330
• Page End: 349
• Publication Date: 2017-07-03
• Subjects: Elections -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Political parties -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Public opinion -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Great Britain -- Politics and government -- 1945- -- Periodicals; 324.941086005
• DOI: 10.1080/17457289.2016.1273227
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1745-7289

Abstract

ABSTRACT: The fact that the European elections in 2014 resulted in an unprecedented success for Eurosceptic parties raises questions concerning the influence of political elites on citizens' Euroscepticism. This paper examines whether Eurosceptic messages have a different impact when communicated by mainstream right-wing parties vs. their more radical counterparts. We do so using data from a survey experiment conducted in Germany in 2013. Our results show that Eurosceptic messages from mainstream parties significantly increase Euroscepticism among voters but that those effects are confined largely to "in"-partisans. Furthermore, when a message is effective among "out"-partisans, it is due to a combined effect of source and message credibility. This holds true for both mainstream and radical right parties suggesting that contrary to expectations, the former do not enjoy any advantage over the latter in terms of perceived credibility.