Trickle Down Soft Power: Do Russia's Ties to European Parties Influence Public Opinion?
Journal: Foreign Policy Analysis
Year: 2020

Abstract Do states’ partnerships with foreign elites influence international public opinion? During Russia's annexation of Crimea, the Kremlin strengthened its ties with far-left and far-right European parties—leading some European elites to express more explicit pro-Russian positions. This paper analyzes how these elite-level ties influence ordinary individuals’ foreign policy attitudes, offering insight into the conditions under which soft power “trickles down.” By leveraging public opinion da