Euroscepticism on Society: the impact of an ideology binding population, politics and media in a vicious circle

Abstract

Euroscepticism is a critical orientation towards the European Union, its policies and its political class. This ideology began to play a role in public debate in the early 1990s, when decisive steps, such as the Maastricht Treaty, were taken in order to enhance the process of EU integration, passing from an initial project of purely commercial nature to the creation of a real economic and political union. So, while the attitude of public opinion had previously been fundamentally favourable towards this organisation, over time the objective of increasing the supranational character of the Community, and later also the moments of crisis experienced, led to a growth in opposition, which in turn resulted in a strong Eurosceptic current. This, defined theoretically in several ways, has therefore had a substantial impact on the population - and in this case it is possible to discuss about ‘popular Euroscepticism’ - but also on the political dimension - this nuance is defined as ‘party-based Euroscepticism’. Inevitably, the Eurosceptic thinking has also spread in the world of the media, which for their part have contributed to a greater propagation of anti-European ideals. De facto, a vicious circle between these three players in this affair - the population, parties and the media – exists. In this context, Brexit is the perfect example to explain this whole dynamic; apart from having represented a victory for British Eurosceptics, once formalised, this referendum has delineated a turning point for the equilibrium of the continent, since for example France and Italy, once supporters of the EU, to date are experiencing a change in mentality.