Gender politics in the European Union

Abstract

This article starts with the observation that in the context of extremely heterogeneous gender regimes within and among EU member states, the European Union is progressively institutionalizing equality policy at the supranational level. The argument advanced to explain the puzzle as to why gender policy development in the EU apparently escapes the ‘joint decision trap’ (Scharpf 1988) highlights gender differences in public EU support. It is claimed that explanations of policy changes in the EU after Maastricht have to take into account mass public ‘Euroskepticism’ and, in particular, ‘gender gaps’ in EU support, and to identify their sources and impacts in the processes of EU governance. By using Eurobarometer data this study explores whether cross-national variation in gendered EU support can be explained primarily by sociodemographic characteristics of individual respondents or by variables situated at the level of member states or whether factors related to the EU’s democratic performance are the decisive ones. In the conclusion propositions are formulated regarding the mechanisms why gender differences in EU support can be expected to impact European governance.