(Un)intended Consequences of EU Parliamentary Elections

When direct elections for the European Parliament were first organized in 1979, the idea was that such direct elections would increase the democratic legitimacy and accountability of the Parliament. Moreover, the elections were expected to raise public interest, engagement and support for the European project. Did these elections help to increase legitimacy and accountability? Did they increase interest in and support for the 'European project'? Or, did these elections have unintended (and perhaps undesirable) consequences? This volume focuses on the consequences of European elections for public debate and involvement, for party systems, and for public opinion. EP elections have caused a number of intended consequences: the salience of the elections in the media has gone up and over time electoral competition becomes more important, engaging in the campaign can help improve EU evaluations, and Europe as a topic has become more important for voting at EP elections, boosting the prevalence of so-called EU voting. A number of intended consequences have not materialized during the life of the EP so far: knowledge or turnout levels have not gone up and citizens have not become better at judging what political parties are offering. The EP elections have, however, also yielded a number of unintended consequences: EP elections dampen turnout for first time voters in subsequent elections, EP elections cause temporary decline in EU support, and the elections have become a strategic arena for political parties to position themselves on EU issues and for new movements and parties to boost or sustain their success. - Provides different disciplinary perspectives, bringing together electorial researchers and media effect researchers - Features contributors from leading scholars in the field - Provides a rigorous and detailed exploration of European Parliament elections

Foreword 1: Wouter van der Brug and Claes de Vreese: Introduction Part 1: Consequences of European elections for public debate and political involvement 2: Hajo Boomgaarden and Claes de Vreese: Do European elections create a European public sphere? 3: Chris Hanretty and Susan Banducci: The EU Issue Space, Party Competition and News Coverage of EP Elections 4: Jürgen Maier: Knowing Europe? The Causes and Consequences of (Lacking) Knowledge about the EU across Time and Space 5: Mark Franklin and Sara Hobolt: How European elections decrease turnout Part 2: Consequences of European elections for party systems 6: Catherine de Vries and Sara Hobolt: EU Issue Voting in National and European Parliamentary Elections 7: Radoslaw Markowski: How European elections affect national party systems: On the survival of newly established parties 8: Silke Adam and Michaela Maier: Campaigning on or downplaying EU integration? Explaining the salience parties attach to EU matters in European Parliamentary election campaigns 9: Sylvia Kritzinger and David Johann: Eurosceptic vote deviation and the impact of news media Part 3: Consequences of European elections for attitudes towards Europe 10: Laurie Beaudennet and Mark Franklin: The Negative Effect of Elections to the European Parliament on Diffuse Support for the European Project 11: Hajo Boomgaarden: Talking it up or talking it down? How national democracy conditions the relationship between talking about and expressing democratic satisfaction with European politics 12: Claes de Vreese & Hajo Boomgaarden: Effects of News Media Coverage on Public Support for European integration 13: Wouter van der Brug: European Elections, Euroscepticism and support for anti-EU parties Part 4: Looking ahead 14: Claes de Vreese & Wouter van der Brug: Conclusion