Economic and Political Basis of Attitudes towards the EU in Central and East European Countries in the 1990s

Abstract

This article aims to explain attitudes towards the European Union in Central and East European countries. I propose a model that combines economic and political variables at two levels of explanation: the individual and the national. Using a cross-sectional time series data set compiled from Central and Eastern Eurobarometer surveys, I demonstrate that individual attitudes towards domestic economic and political reforms are good predictors of citizens’ attitudes towards the European Union in Central and East European countries. Macro dimensions, such as economic and political performance, have an impact on attitudes towards the EU, particularly in candidate countries. Finally, a multiplicative model with interaction effects between the individual level and the macro level suggests that attitudes have a stronger impact if the domestic conditions are good. If the country is in bad shape, the attitudes are less relevant.