Articles

Aan de knoppen maar uit de pas? Euroscepsis en euro-enthousiasme onder Nederlandse ambtenaren

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Abstract

National officials play an important role in all phases of the EU policy process and are often assumed to be more euro-enthusiastic than other citizens. Yet, thus far systematic knowledge on their views on EU integration is lacking . This study fills this gap through recently collected survey data among Dutch officials (N = 3509). We find first that at least for officials, hard and soft euroscepticism are no gradations on the same scale, but separate dimensions. Second, both sociological and rational choice institutionalism help explain bureaucratie euroscepticism, where the latter seems to have a somewhat stronger explanatory power. Third, officials are on average indeed more euro-enthusiastic than other citizens. However, (a) relatively fewer officials are strongly euro-enthusiastic compared to the general population; (b) the total share of eurosceptics among officials is practically the same as the general population, and (c) significantly more officials report to be 'strongly eurosceptic' than among the wider population.

How to Cite:

van den Berg, C. & Princen, S. & Mastenbroek, E., (2016) “Aan de knoppen maar uit de pas? Euroscepsis en euro-enthousiasme onder Nederlandse ambtenaren”, Res Publica 58(4), 397-422.