Euroscepticism

Euroscepticism is a general term used to describe criticism of the European Union (EU), and opposition to the process of European integration, existing throughout the political spectrum. Traditionally, the main source of euroscepticism has been the notion that integration weakens the nation state. Other views occasionally seen as eurosceptic include perceptions of the EU being undemocratic or too bureaucratic. A Eurobarometer survey of EU citizens in 2009 showed that support for membership of the EU was lowest in Latvia, the United Kingdom, and Hungary.

Types of euroscepticism

There are two different types of Eurosceptic thought, which differ by the extent to which adherents reject European integration and the reason for doing so. Aleks Szczerbiak and Paul Taggart described these as 'hard' and 'soft' euroscepticism.

Hard euroscepticism is the opposition to membership of, or the existence of, the European Union as a matter of principle.

Soft euroscepticism is support for the existence of, and membership of, a form of European Union, but opposition to particular EU policies, and opposition to a federal Europe. The European Conservatives and Reformists group, typified by such parties as the British Conservative Party, along with the European United Left–Nordic Green Left which is an alliance of left-wing parties in the European Parliament, is soft eurosceptic.

EU citizens attitudes towards the EU (Eurobarometer survey 2009)

A survey in showed that within the European Union overall, the majority of EU citizens support their country's membership: over 50% think their country's membership is "a good thing", and only 15% think it is "a bad thing". Attitudes vary greatly between countries. Support is greatest in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Spain and Ireland, with about 70%–80% thinking that membership is a good thing. Scepticism is highest in Latvia, the United Kingdom, and Hungary, with only 25%–32% viewing membership as a good thing. In Britain, opinions are divided, fairly evenly, between those who think that membership is a good thing, a bad thing, or neither good nor bad.

2004–2009

In 2004, 37 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from the UK, Poland, Denmark and Sweden founded a new European Parliament group called “Independence and Democracy” from the old Europe of Democracies and Diversities (EDD) group.

The main goals of the ID group were to reject the proposed Treaty establishing a constitution for Europe. Some delegations within the group, notably the United Kingdom Independence Party, also advocate the complete withdrawal of their country from the EU whilst others only wish to limit further European integration.

2009 elections

The elections in 2009 saw a significant drop in some areas in support for Eurosceptic parties, with all MEPs from Poland, Denmark and Sweden losing their seats. However, in the UK, the eurosceptic United Kingdom Independence Party achieved second place in the elections, finishing ahead of the governing Labour Party and the BNP won its first ever 2 MEPs. Although new members joined the ID group from Greece and the Netherlands, it was unclear as to whether the ID group would reform in the new parliament. The ID group did reform, as the Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) and is represented by 32 MEPs from 9 countries.

List of Eurosceptic parties

Austria

Alliance for the Future of Austria, Freedom Party of Austria

Bulgaria

IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement, Ataka

Czech Republic

In May 2010, the Czech president Václav Klaus claimed that they "needn’t hurry to enter the Euro zone".

Petr Mach, an economist, a close associate of president Václav Klaus and a member of the Civic Democratic Party between 1997 and 2007, founded the Free Citizens Party in 2009. The party aims to mainly attract dissatisfied Civic Democratic Party voters. At the time of the Lisbon Treaty ratification, they were actively campaigning against it, unlike the governing Civic Democratic Party, who endorsed it in the Chamber of Deputies. After the treaty has been ratified, they are in favor of withdrawing from the European Union completely.

Denmark

The Unity Party and Socialist People's Party (Greens) were against accession to the European Union, but only the Unity Party has withdrawal from the EU as a policy. The right wing Danish People's Party also advocate withdrawal.

Estonia

The Independence Party and Centre Party were against accession to the EU, but only the Independence Party still wants Estonia to withdraw from the European Union.

Finland

True Finns, Itsenäisyyspuolue

France

In France many parties are more or less radically eurosceptic, from siding for less EU intervention in national affairs to outright withdrawing from the EU as it is and the Eurozone. These parties belong to all sides of the political spectrum so the reasons for their euroscepticism may differ but they all opposed the ratification of the Treaty of Lisbon. A certain disinterest of the French people exists, considering approximately 60% of the French electorate did not vote for the 2009 European Parliament elections.

Right-wing eurosceptic parties include the gaullist Debout la République, and also the Mouvement pour la France, and Chasse, Pêche, Nature & Traditions both of which joined Libertas, a pan-European eurosceptic party. For the 2009 European Parliament elections, Debout la République obtained 1,77% of the national vote, and Libertas 4,8%. The French far-right in general is naturally opposed to the EU as, similarly to right-wing parties, they criticize France's loss of political and economic sovereignty to a supra-national entity. Its main political party is the Front National. The party obtained 6,5% of the votes, which makes it the largest eurosceptic party in France.

Left-wing eurosceptic parties tend to criticize the liberal agenda of the EU, although they usually support a unification of countries (albeit under a socialist system), and the abolition of national borders. They include the Parti de Gauche and the French Communist Party, which formed the Front de Gauche for the 2009 European Parliament elections and obtained 6,3% of the votes. The other major far-left eurosceptic parties are the New Anticapitalist Party which obtained 4,8% and Lutte Ouvrière only 1,2%. The Citizen and Republican Movement, a left-wing eurosceptic and souverainist party, did not participate in the 2009 elections.

Greece

Communist Party of Greece, Golden Dawn (Greece), Anticapitalist Left Cooperation for the Overthrow, Popular Orthodox Rally

Hungary

Jobbik, Politics Can Be Different

Ireland

The left-leaning republican party Sinn Féin is a "soft" Eurosceptic party.

Luxembourg

The Alternative Democratic Reform Party is a soft eurosceptic party. It is a member of the Alliance of European Conservatives and Reformists.

Netherlands

Partij voor de Vrijheid, Staatkundig Gereformeerde Partij, ChristenUnie, Socialistische Partij

Portugal

National Renovator Party, New Democracy Party, Portuguese Communist Party, People's Party (Soft eurosceptic)

Sweden

The Left Party of Sweden was against accession to the European Union and still wants Sweden to leave the European Union. The Green Party also advocates a withdrawal from the European Union. The Sweden Democrats Are also strongly against the Union and favours Withdrawal.

United Kingdom

Euroscepticism in the United Kingdom (UK) is a very controversial issue and has been a significant element in British politics since the inception of the European Economic Community (EEC), the predecessor to the EU. In the UK, the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) are the largest eurosceptic party, favouring repatriation of powers, and withdrawal. In recent elections, the Conservative Party have campaigned against entry to the European Monetary Union and the Social chapter. The Labour Party membership is more eurosceptic than the party leadership, which is something the Conservative leadership has sought to exploit.

The United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) focuses on EU-withdrawal as its primary policy and receives significant support in European elections. It received 16.5% of the vote at the 2009 European Parliament elections, putting it in second place ahead of the then governing Labour Party. In the same elections, the far-right and anti-Europe British National Party was for the first time elected into the European Parliament. All Eurosceptic parties combined accounted for 28.2% of the vote in the 2009 European Parliament elections.

See also

Pro-Europeanism

Europeanism

Footnotes

References

Category:Political neologisms Category:Politics of the European Union