National and European identities and political support for the European Union within the context of the economic and financial crisis

Since the outbreak of the financial crisis in late 2007 and the economic consequences, citizens of the EU have been confronted with dramatically changing economic conditions. Political elites and mass media have often linked these negative economic consequences to the euro. Lower support for the EU and its institutions may be one of its consequences. Within this context, the paper addresses the question of how the pattern of political support for the EU responds to the changes in contextual conditions. The analysis focuses on the effects of national and European identities. The results substantiate several familiar patterns. Clear trends throughout the "euro crisis" are barely distinguishable. The impact of national identities and party signals increases over time, whereas the explanatory power of other variables remains constant in the short term.