4 European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People
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Astrid Lorenz
Abstract
The chapter aims to contribute to a better and more nuanced understanding of citizenship practices in peripheral regions of Central and Eastern Europe, taking into account local specificities of European Parliament elections and the voices of young people. It is based on a quantitative analysis of voter turnout data and a qualitative analysis of original material collected in focus groups by the Leipzig Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on the European Union and Its Rural Peripheries in East Central Europe, and it uses a new index of peripherality. For the 2019 European Parliament elections, the chapter examines whether a particular pattern of turnout can be discerned in peripheral areas (NUTS 3 regions) in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. It then analyses how the next generation of potential voters in peripheral regions view the European elections and what tools they suggest to increase turnout. Finally, recommendations are made for future research on participation and education in the context of European elections in East Central Europe.
Abstract
The chapter aims to contribute to a better and more nuanced understanding of citizenship practices in peripheral regions of Central and Eastern Europe, taking into account local specificities of European Parliament elections and the voices of young people. It is based on a quantitative analysis of voter turnout data and a qualitative analysis of original material collected in focus groups by the Leipzig Jean Monnet Centre of Excellence on the European Union and Its Rural Peripheries in East Central Europe, and it uses a new index of peripherality. For the 2019 European Parliament elections, the chapter examines whether a particular pattern of turnout can be discerned in peripheral areas (NUTS 3 regions) in Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania. It then analyses how the next generation of potential voters in peripheral regions view the European elections and what tools they suggest to increase turnout. Finally, recommendations are made for future research on participation and education in the context of European elections in East Central Europe.
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
Chapters in this book
- Front Matter i
- Contents v
- Series Editor’s Preface vii
- List of Figures and Tables ix
- Notes on Contributors x
- Approaching Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 1
- Theorizing Citizenship Practices in Europe 18
- Polarizing the Curriculum: Culture Wars about Citizenship and Civic Education 43
- European Parliament Elections in East Central Europe: Participation, Eurosceptic Voting, and Perceptions of Young People 64
- Long-Distance Citizenship in East Central and Eastern Europe 89
- Digital Technologies and Citizen Agency During Crises: Democratic Engagement in Ukraine and Belarus 109
- Civic Digital Participation for Rural Development: Lessons from a German Survey of LEADER Regions 138
- Being or Becoming Political? Performative Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 158
- Participation Disempowered: Polish Participatory Budgeting and a Missed Chance for Citizen Empowerment 180
- Attitudes of German Youth Regarding the War in Ukraine 204
- Concepts of Citizenship in the Educational Materials of the EU and the Council of Europe 221
- Citizenship Education in Central and Eastern Europe: Perspectives and Desiderata of Transnationally Networked NGOs 241
- The Politics of Civic Education in the Post-Yugoslav Region 257
- Charting Paths Forward for Citizenship in Central and Eastern Europe 279
- Index 292
