Post-war Manifestations of Euroscepticism in Germany and the Netherlands, 1950-2021. A Comparative Approach

Abstract

This contribution addresses post-war manifestations of Euroscepticism in Germany and the Netherlands. The two countries are selected as relevant cases to study in historical-comparative perspective, because of the many similarities as far as European integration policies is concerned, but the different ways in which Euroscepticism took shape in their political arenas. This partly resulted from historical experiences, particularly the processing of the war trauma after 1945, but also because of differences in the political systems and practices of the two countries. The article’s focus is on political parties and their programmes from 1950 till the most recent elections in 2021. Looking at the national party level, the authors observe differences in intensity and duration regarding support of the European Union and its predecessors, with Dutch Eurosceptic parties in a generally more critical role than their German counterparts. In that sense, the recent rise of the German Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) constitutes a trend break in this historical development.