European Integration, Economics, and Voting Behavior in the 2001 British General Election

Tillman, Erik R. (2009) European Integration, Economics, and Voting Behavior in the 2001 British General Election. In: UNSPECIFIED. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

This paper develops and tests three hypotheses about the effects of European integration on voting behavior in the 2001 British General Election. First, preferences over joining the common currency (Euro) influence voting behavior, as predicted by the EU issue voting hypothesis. Second, economic voting is weaker among those who believe the national economy to be influenced more by the EU than by the national government. Third, voter abstention is higher among those who believe that the economy is influenced more by the EU than by the national government. Analyses of data from the 2001 British Election Study find support for the first and third hypotheses, suggesting multiple ways in which European integration influences national elections and highlighting several avenues for further research.

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