Monetary Integration and Accountability in Europe, 1988-1994

Abstract

When called upon to deliver judgment, citizens must believe that government
is capable of affecting economic outcomes. Economic integration
arguably reduces the power of governments to act independently
in response to macroeconomic shocks. This paper seeks to determine
whether institutional changes implemented by 12 European countries in
the wake of monetary integration affected economic voting, and whether
such changes were mediated by party messages. It employs statistical
analyses across 12 European countries at two points in time. The results
show that differences in economic voting were mediated by perceptions
of EU integration; voters who believed in delegation at EU level weighed
up economic issues to a lesser extent when casting their vote. In addition,
such fi ndings were to a large extent driven by partisan concerns.