Contested European citizenship: Results from a 13 country survey

European citizenship consisting of equal economic, social and political rights for all EU citizens has come under pressure in recent years due to the different crises the EU had to face. Based on a survey conducted in 13 EU member states we examined to what extent EU citizens support the notion that citizens from other European countries should enjoy the same rights as nationals. Overall, 56% of EU citizens support the idea that citizens from other EU member states (EU migrants) and national citizens shall be treated equally. In addition, we find remarkable variation between the countries. Multivariate analyses indicate that cultural factors on the individual and the country level have a strong impact on attitudes towards Europeanized equality, whereas structural factors that are related to individuals' and a countries' socioeconomic position are only of minor importance.

Automated summary

A survey conducted in 13 EU member states found that the majority of EU citizens support the idea of equal rights for citizens from other EU member states and national citizens. However, significant variation was observed between countries, with cultural factors having a stronger impact on attitudes towards Europeanized equality compared to structural factors.