How Identity Interacts with Economic and Societal Rationality to Drive Public Opinion on the European Union. The Role of Crime, Unemployment and Immigration

This paper examines the relative power of identity and utilitarian explanations of the variation in public support for the European Union (EU) as well as the relationship these have with one another. Using Eurobarometer data from 1990 to 2007, the results in this paper demonstrate that contrary to previous research, national economic and societal utility calculations about the EU have greater explanatory power than identity issues. It is also found that unemployment, crime and exclusive national identity mediate the relationship between immigration and EU support. In the light of these findings, the article draws implications for politics at EU and national level.