Hur Eurokrisen splittrade EU-stödet - En kvantitativ studie av förändringar i EU-stöd på aggregerad nivå hos EU25 åren 2005-2015

Abstract

To which extent economic factors influence the support the European people give to the EU is a frequently debated issue. This thesis therefore aims to add to that debate by examining how the euro crisis affected the EU-support. The period chosen was 2005-2015 whereby these years were transformed into three periods of the years before, 2005-2008, years during, 2009- 2012, and years after the crisis, 2013-2015. By using 26 cases, the EU as a whole as well as EU25 as individual cases the study executed an aggregate analysis. Through a quantitative method using statistical data from Eurostat and the Eurobarometer several bivariate analyses were performed with the intention to investigate the connection between economic change and the changes in EU-support. Considering the cases and the range of economic change stimulated by the euro crisis the outcomes revealed some common denominators. The results showed that the euro crisis has infact led to further divergence and euroscepticism causing instable integration. Also discovered was that the objective economic situation is more influential to the changes in support than subjective opinions. Conclusions drawn indicate that economic factors have great impact on the outlook of the EU and that unstable economic climate initiate euroscepticism.