What Triggers the Intention to Use the European Citizens’ Initiative? The Role of Benefits, Values and Efficacy

The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a European Union instrument that aspires to encourage citizens to participate in EU policy-making. Although scholarly interest in the ECI is strong, only isolated studies have examined the factors that shape the intention to use it. This article fills a gap...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Gherghina, S. (Author), Kandyla, A. (Author)
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2018
Subjects:
Online Access:View Fulltext in Publisher
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001 10.1111-jcms.12737
008 220706s2018 CNT 000 0 und d
020 |a 00219886 (ISSN) 
245 1 0 |a What Triggers the Intention to Use the European Citizens’ Initiative? The Role of Benefits, Values and Efficacy 
260 0 |b Blackwell Publishing Ltd  |c 2018 
856 |z View Fulltext in Publisher  |u https://doi.org/10.1111/jcms.12737 
520 3 |a The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a European Union instrument that aspires to encourage citizens to participate in EU policy-making. Although scholarly interest in the ECI is strong, only isolated studies have examined the factors that shape the intention to use it. This article fills a gap in the literature by examining how personal benefits from the EU, value-based assessments of the EU, and political efficacy (internal and external) may trigger potential use of the ECI. It develops a model that is tested with recent Eurobarometer data. Results show that personal benefits from the EU are key determinants of the intention to use the ECI while considerations based on democratic values play a less important role. In addition, internal political efficacy emerges as a strong predictor of potential use. The results challenge the expectation that the ECI could broaden public engagement with EU affairs. © 2018 University Association for Contemporary European Studies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd 
650 0 4 |a democratic values 
650 0 4 |a EU democratic deficit 
650 0 4 |a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) 
650 0 4 |a personal benefits 
650 0 4 |a political efficacy 
700 1 |a Gherghina, S.  |e author 
700 1 |a Kandyla, A.  |e author 
773 |t Journal of Common Market Studies