WITHIN FRANCE, HOW BIG A GAP WITH OTHER ELECTIONS? Dr Anne Jadot (Université Nancy 2 / IRENEE) & Dr Bruno CAUTRES (CEVIPOF) / BACKGROUND / CONTEXT A theoretically positive context for EP elections... A deepening EU integration. A growing role for the EP. Highly salient issues: e.g. enlargement, constitution project....The empirically negative response from the electorate = declining turnout (%) CONCLUSIONS: political interpretation (1)a very low stimulus election only 1 registered voter in 4 interested in the EP campaign (- 20 points compared to the 2004 regional elections) even those interested in politics and who have done some campaigns activities are not that interested! (2) a “secondary election” rather than a “second order” one the government was highly unpopular but the previous regional elections had enabled the use of the ballot to send a (nationally oriented) message. not turning out is itself a message (3) Low salience of the EP / relevance for the representation linkage awareness and trust of the EP discriminate well between voters and non voters. two few voters think the EP is a relevant channel for their European views  EU institutions, political parties and the media share a responsibility to trigger an active and mobilising campaign for 2009 ANOTHER FRENCH PARADOX A low turnout because of negative attitudes towards EU? Not so simple Fair enough, the “permissive consensus” is over. Yet EU support is still sound in France (%) positive opinionsDK Disagree: EU citizens living in France not entitled to social claims642 Agree: other EU citizens living in France entitled to vote in all local elections581 France EU membership = a good thing531 Disagree : French should come first against other EU citizens for jobs461 Democracy in Europe: fair work472.5 Trust EU decisions to benefit France’s interests471 Trust EU decision to benefit laymen interests401 Often consider oneself as a European citizen300.5 Very proud to be a European citizen142 + At the individual level, pro-European citizens do turn out more, but the difference with Euro-sceptics is not as striking as would be expected  lots of Euro-supporters don’t vote either in EP elections! YET EUROPEAN ISSUES CAN MOBILISE FRENCH VOTERS! Turnout= 69,7% for the 1992 Maastricht Treaty referendum = 69,4% for the 2005 Constitution Treaty referendum  THE PUZZLE Given this potential to mobilize over European themes, why did the 2004 EP elections turned down 57% of the French electorate? THE DATA = the 2004 European Election Study in France 1,406 respondents, registered to vote; quotas based sample, phone survey, 14th-19th June + In-depth dozens of interviews (in the 1990’s) for a PhD on perceptions of types of elections Is the EP participation elitist? There is a sociological divide more pronounced than at the 2002 Presidential election 1st round (see below). Yet even some high profile categories display a high propensity to abstain in EP elections. There’s a massive impact of age, leading to a “generation gap” = older people vote out of habit and/or because they feel it is their civic duty, not because they’re more interested in EU / EP. Profile of non-voters in 2002 and Presidential (1st round) 2004 EP Evolution Overall Gender Male Female Age Education None Primary Secondary French baccalauréat Higher education Occupation status Independent, entrepreneur Salaried (private sector) Salaried (public company) Salaried (civil servant or local authorities) FP6 CivicActive Participation in European Parliament Elections: The French Experience