"In search of European citizens: A policy preference based approach"

We define European citizenship as a set of policy preferences favoring European Union responsibility for functions traditionally seen as being at the core of the nation-state: defense, foreign policy, currency, citizenship. We identify the degree to which such a sense of citizenship exists in each of the member states. (It is highest in Italy, lowest in Denmark). Using data from Eurobarometer 39.0, we then explore the role of knowledge, trust, general attitudes toward European integration, interest in European matters, location in the social structure, and media use patterns in accounting for European citizenship. General support for and interest in European integration are the most potent predictors of European citizenship, followed by trust, ideology, satisfaction with democracy, and knowledge. Variables tapping location in the social structure, e.g., age, gender, and class, as well as indicators of news media exposure, generally have little impact. The explanatory power of the model varies considerably across the EU member countries; performance is strongest in Denmark and weakest in Ireland. We conclude that European citizenship remains principally a product of general attitudes favoring European integration rather than being knowledge or experience-based. However, it is often influenced by country-specific contextual features.