Journal of Danubian Studies and Research (Oct 2017)
Evolution of Euroscepticism, a Pressure for the Political Decision- Makers in the Member States of the European Union. How Were the Elections in Austria, the Netherlands and France Influenced by Euroscepticism?
Abstract
Elections that took place after the moment of the Brexit in 2016 in the European Member States were emblematic in terms of the European Union's political future. Voters from several countries rejected anti-European, nationalist parties and preferred to go to “newcomers” or, in the case of the Netherlands, they chose the experience. The defeats of the nationalist and populist parties in Austria, the Netherlands and France, which have relied on an anti-European message amplifying the Eurosceptic attitude, show that citizens do not want political adventurers in state leadership, given the developments in the last two years in Europe, but want stability for the European project. However, the European Union, as an organization, could suffer serious damage because of the populist wave and, above all, the Eurosceptic. In order to survive, the European Union can and should find ways to adapt to the new methods of politics. The question that logically addresses at this point is: should it survive, the European Union needs to become more flexible? And if so, should the idea of unity for multi-level cooperation be abandoned?