Euroscepticism

Euroscepticism is the criticism of the European Union (EU). Some observers also say that the total rejection of the EU is euroscepticism. Euroscepticism should not be confused with Anti-Europeanism, which is the dislike or fear of European culture and/or people.

Eurosceptics says that the European Union weakens the nation state. They also say that the European Union is too bureaucratic (meaning that important decisions are made by officials who aren't elected). In 2016, the countries with the most unfavourable view of the EU were Greece, France, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The rise of right-wing populist parties in Europe have been contributed to their Eurosceptic views.Han Werts, Marcel Lubbers, and Peer Scheepers (2013) Euro-scepticism and radical right-wing voting in Europe, 2002–2008: Social cleavages, socio-political attitudes and contextual characteristics determining voting for the radical right , European Union Politics, vol. 14 no. 2: 183–205. On 23 June 2016, the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union with 52% voting to leave.

 Polls 

In November 2015, a poll showed that those with a positive image of the EU went down from 52% in 2007 to 37%. Distrust of the EU was highest in Greece (81%), Cyprus (72%), Austria (65%), France (65%) Germany (63%), the United Kingdom (63%) and the Czech Republic (63%).

 Parties 

Some major Eurosceptic parties are shown below (organized by country):

 Freedom Party (Austria)
 Vlaams Belang (Belgium)
 IMRO – Bulgarian National Movement (Bulgaria)
 Danish People's Party (Denmark)
 Conservative People's Party (Estonia)
 Finns Party (Finland)
 Left Front (France)
 National Rally (France)
 Alternative for Germany (Germany)
 Communist Party (Greece)
 Golden Dawn (Greece) Independent Greeks (Greece)
 Popular Unity (Greece)
 Fidesz (Hungary)
 Jobbik (Hungary)
 Five Star Movement (Italy)
 Lega Nord (Italy)
 National Alliance (Latvia)
 Union of Greens and Farmers (Latvia)
 Order and Justice (Lithuania)
 Party for Freedom (Netherlands)
 Congress of the New Right (Poland) Law and Justice (Poland)
 Communist Party (Portugal)
 Left Bloc (Portugal)
 Freedom and Solidarity (Slovakia)
 Kotleba – People's Party Our Slovakia (Slovakia)
 Popular Unity Candidacy (Spain)
 Left Party (Sweden)
 Sweden Democrats (Sweden)
 Swiss People's Party (Switzerland)
 Nationalist Movement Party (Turkey)
 UK Independence Party (United Kingdom)

 References 

Category:European Union