Preferences for European Social Policy in Times of Crisis

Since 1992, the setting up of Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) has raised citizens’ awareness of the economic and social implications of European integration. The current economic crisis increased financial pressures on redistribution policies, strengthening the public’s concerns about the potential consequences for the level of social protection and labor market (de-)regulation. However, we know little about preferences for redistribution and social policies at the supranational level despite the importance of such preferences for political support in multilevel systems. This paper first assesses the attitudinal and economic determinants of preferences for a European social policy over time and then the impact of the recent economic turmoil on these preferences. It investigates the empirical validity of the logic for an exit mechanism. It relies on a time-series cross-section analysis of public opinion in the European Union’s 27 Member States from 1996 to 2011 using Eurobarometer and Eurostat data.