Euroskeptizismus vor und nach dem EU-Beitritt: Mittelost- und südosteuropäische Parteien im Vergleich
Euroscepticism before and after EU Accession: East Central and Southeast European Parties Compared

Summary/Abstract: Abstract. This paper analyzes the role played by anti-European political parties in the context of South Eastern Europe’s EU integration process, with special attention being paid to the structural factors enabling their electoral success . A comparative research approach – compris- ing Poland, Bulgaria and Croatia as case studies – shows that it is not justified to speak of an Eastern or South Eastern European type of Euroscepticism among political parties because there are tremendous differences between the various countries concerning the relevance and content of criticisms directed towards the European Union . Nevertheless, the varying degree of electoral success enjoyed by anti-European parties can be explained, to some extent, by the presence of populism in the individual country’s political culture, by the opportunity struc- tures provided by the electoral and party system and, most of all, by the way the country’s accession process is conducted by its political elites .

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