Vincenzo Memoli - Böcker

Elections are a fundamental element of democracy, since elected governments reflect voter preferences. At the same time, it is inevitable that policies pursued by any government closely resemble the preferences of some citizens, while alienating others who hold different views. Previous works have examined how institutional settings facilitate or hinder policy proximity between citizens and governments. Building on their findings, the book explores a series of "so what" questions: how and to what extent does the distance between individual and government positions affect citizens' propensity to vote, protest, believe in democracy, and even feel satisfied with their lives?Using cross-national public opinion data, this book is an original scholarly research which develops theoretically grounded hypotheses to test the effect of citizen-government proximity on three dependent variables. After introducing the data (both public opinion surveys and country-level statistics) and the methodology to be used in subsequent chapters, one chapter each is devoted to how proximity or the absence thereof affects political participation, satisfaction with democracy, and happiness. Differences in political attitudes and behavior between electoral winners and losers, and ideological moderates and radicals, are also discussed in depth.

Elections are a fundamental element of democracy, since elected governments reflect voter preferences. At the same time, it is inevitable that policies pursued by any government closely resemble the preferences of some citizens, while alienating others who hold different views. Previous works have examined how institutional settings facilitate or hinder policy proximity between citizens and governments. Building on their findings, the book explores a series of "so what" questions: how and to what extent does the distance between individual and government positions affect citizens' propensity to vote, protest, believe in democracy, and even feel satisfied with their lives?Using cross-national public opinion data, this book is an original scholarly research which develops theoretically grounded hypotheses to test the effect of citizen-government proximity on three dependent variables. After introducing the data (both public opinion surveys and country-level statistics) and the methodology to be used in subsequent chapters, one chapter each is devoted to how proximity or the absence thereof affects political participation, satisfaction with democracy, and happiness. Differences in political attitudes and behavior between electoral winners and losers, and ideological moderates and radicals, are also discussed in depth.

This book explores the origins, characteristics, and impact of public support for the European Union (EU) on the process of EU integration.It examines core questions around the dynamics behind the (dis)integration processes, how multidimensional attitudes toward the EU are interrelated, the dimensions and cleavages of party competition, and the public-political elites link in EU policy-making. By simultaneously applying cleavage and post-functionalist theoretical perspectives, the book observes whether the era of multiple crises has changed support for the EU, creating a more polarized public whose attitudes can constrain, favor, or even stop integration and country membership.This book is of key interest to scholars and students of global governance, Euroscepticism, populism, public opinion, democracy, and more generally, European/EU studies and European politics.

The book addresses the topic of EU legitimacy by exploring the forms, origins and effects of citizens' support to EU institutions.

The volume presents the most comprehensive survey to date of citizens’ use of media and attitudes towards the EU. A broad use of media positively influences support for the EU, as it refines citizens’ cognitive capabilities and understanding of the European reality.

The book addresses the topic of EU legitimacy by exploring the forms, origins and effects of citizens' support to EU institutions.