Euroskeptizismus und Wahlenthaltung: Motivationen unterschiedlicher Nichtwählertypen bei der Europawahl 2014

Abstract

To what extent can we understand abstention from voting in European Parliament elections as Eurosceptic behavior? This article answers the question empirically, drawing upon data gathered by the European Election Studies 2014 post-election survey. Several sub-dimensions of political support for the EU as well as different types of non-voters are analyzed. The findings indicate that – in addition to traditional determinants of electoral participation – a lack of trust in the political institutions of the EU is a major factor explaining non-voting in European elections. Other attitudes towards the EU show much less explanatory power for the individual turnout decision. Finally, the article shows that the difference in participation between elections at the national and the European level – commonly called the Euro Gap – is a consequence of Eurosceptic attitudes. Thus it can be assumed that many citizens perceive voting in national elections while abstaining from European elections as an appropriate means through which to express their dissatisfaction with the EU and its institutions.