Category: The EU in the Public Imagination

If Twitter is the Medium of the Underdog, Are the ‘Reluctant Remainers’ Poised to Bite?

Clare Llewellyn and Laura Cram What can Twitter tell us about the views of the UK electorate ahead of the EU referendum? Laura Cram and Clare Llewellyn illustrate that, while Leave supporters continue to have a much more visible presence on Twitter, this balance has shifted, with pro-Remain tweets becoming more frequent in the latter …

Striking Similarities Exist Between the Brexit and Scottish Independence Debates

Juliet Kaarbo Britain’s Decision | The EU Referendum Although the referendum debate has largely focused on domestic politics, EU membership is a significant question of foreign policy as well, writes Juliet Kaarbo. She argues that the UK’s global influence is shaped by both external and internal factors, and that the practical effect of the EU …

The Referendum Will Not Bring an End to the UK’s Debate on the EU

Laura Cram Britain’s Decision | The EU Referendum The Prime Minister’s renegotiation of the UK’s EU membership is largely judged by whether people already support remaining in or leaving the EU, writes Laura Cram. Outlining the key components of the settlement, she argues that it has had a minimal impact in the campaign, and that the …

What Do Voters Think About the EU and the Referendum Question?

Charlie Jeffery Britain’s Decision | The EU Referendum Public opinion on the EU varies in the different parts of the UK, and views within each of the UK nations have shifted markedly since the Common Market Referendum in 1975, writes Charlie Jeffery. He suggests that identity could play an important role in voters’ decisions at …

The Silent Majority or Just Under-Represented? Social Media and the EU Referendum

Clare Llewellyn and Laura Cram As part of the Imagine Europe project, Clare Llewellyn and Laura Cram compare election polling with Twitter data to explore how accurate a reflection discussion on social media gives of public opinion on the EU more generally. Latvian Presidency Review, European Parliament, CC-BY-NC-ND-2.0 Poll data isn’t always reliable. As we …

Towards Brexit? The UK’s EU Referendum

Anthony Salamone The upcoming EU referendum has brought about a different kind of political debate in the UK, and the need for facts and analysis to sort through the many issues at stake is clear, writes Anthony Salamone. He sets out an open invitation to the University of Edinburgh’s new free online course which will …

The Dutch Ukraine Referendum That Was Never Really About Ukraine

David Bokhorst and Bogdan Koetsier The recent Dutch referendum on the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement, which rejected the agreement, was more an expression of Euroscepticism than an evaluation of the actual deal, write David Bokhorst and Bogdan Koetsier. They argue that the role of referendums should be reconsidered, particularly in foreign policy, as part of a …

European Commissioners and Their Cabinets: Government Influence is Limited

Renke Deckarm While many elements of the European Commission have been the object of study, commissioners themselves and their cabinets have been less so, writes Renke Deckarm. He argues that, contrary to common belief, governments have limited influence over their commissioners’ cabinets or their approach in the Commission once appointed. Juncker Commission College Meeting – …