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There is a growing body of literature on EU public opinion. Yet the feelings of connection between Europeans and how these influence EU model type preferences are an unexplored area. The present article addresses this gap in the research. Using Eurobarometer data, our results demonstrate that while being in a more favourable personal situation helps cement bonds between EU citizens and in turn stimulate public support for the EU, perceived EU policy contribution to unemployment, immigration and crime tend to damage the related bonds and successively boost public opposition to the EU. Terrorism management, multiculturalism, economic deprivation or 'putting aside' Europe's Christian identity are also not found to help EU citizen cohesion. The article then discusses the implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of education and citizens' assessments of the national economic, political, and societal situation on public opinion regarding globalisation in the five largest European Union member states. Using Eurobarometer survey data, it is demonstrated that largely, regardless of skill level differences, there is a widespread public malaise with the perceived negative contribution of globalisation on the national economic, political, and societal situation. In the light of these findings, implications are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article empirically investigates the impact of national socio-economic contextual factors on public opinion on globalisation. It also examines the mediating impact ... of these factors on the relationship between citizens' education, occupation and public opinion on globalisation. Using Eurobarometer data, this article demonstrates that national levels of unemployment, FDI and trade balances, as well as the proportion of the national population with tertiary education attainment, influence citizens' opinions on globalisation. They also show that national levels of unemployment, trade and FDI balances, net migration and the proportion of the national population with tertiary education arbitrate the relationship between individuals' education, occupation and public attitudes towards globalisation. The article then discusses the implications of these findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Departing from the holistic, cross-national approach of much of the previous research into public opinion on European integration and with a view to taking detailed account of the specificities of each member state which can be essential to explaining public views, this article empirically investigates the significant rise in public euroscepticism in Italy in the post-Maastricht period. This decline in European Union (EU) support is all the more surprising and significant as Italian public opinion has traditionally strongly supported the EU, and as the large majority of Italian political parties and media still remain today strongly in favour of European integration. Using Eurobarometer data, our results demonstrate that the perceived negative EU role in socio-economic and societal issues explains this decline in EU support. The effects of socio-economic and societal issues on EU support are also found to interact with one another. These results are compared to those of two similar large EU member states, namely the United Kingdom and France, and implications are drawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]