Euroscepticism and the Rise of EU Contestation

The image of the EU across public opinion has been viewing increasing negative evaluations, since the economic and financial crisis hit its peak, in 2010 and 2011. The crisis has affected public attitudes and perceptions of legitimacy and identity, but it has also mobilized political parties and citizens in opposition to the EU. Although opposition towards the EU has been pitched as a temporary phenomenon, it has now become a distinctive characteristic of the EU integration process, described as ‘embedded’, pervasive and enduring. Euroscepticism, as outright and contingent opposition, has become structured in terms of party alignment, negative attitudes and cleavages. Yet, at the domestic levels, the Eurosceptic opposition takes different colours and chooses different targets and strategies. This Section invites panel proposals that address different forms of Euroscepticism and the roles of political and social actors involved, in particular: 1. Who/What drives political opposition towards the EU? 2. How is Euroscepticism manifested in political contestation through political parties and the citizens domestically and in a transnational, comparative perspective? (e.g. in national and 2014 European Parliament elections?) 3. How does the (re)politicization of European integration restructure the political landscape of the EU and its member states in terms of conflicts, cleavages and identities? 4. How do the media (new and old) contribute to the expression of Euroscepticism? 5. What are the effects on the EU integration process and what are its long term consequences for the EU project? We invite theoretical and empirical analyses, and comparative and case studies touching upon any of these themes.