Topic of the thesis: A pro-European Excess?: Populism, 'Dissatisfied Democrats' and Attitudes towards Identity, Trust and Solidarity in Europe.

Abstract: This study aims to research attitudes towards European identity, trust in the EU and solidarity among “dissatisfied democrats” (Vehrkamp and Wratil 2017), i.e., those citizens who feel closer to populist parties and those who abstain from being identified with a political party in their national context. To this end, the cross-national REScEU Mass Survey conducted in 2019 in ten European countries will be used. Out of an empirical analysis of the REScEU data, the research aims to figure out to what extent those democratically dissatisfied citizens support or oppose to the EU, European identity and European solidarity. In this way, it intends to figure out possibilities of a ‘pro-European excess’ among those dissatisfied democrats contrary to assumptions in the literature, i.e., being Eurosceptical, less solidaristic, distrustful towards the EU and prioritizing national identity over European identity.

Research interests: Political sociology – Populism – Euroscepticism – Crises of the EU – Social Europe.

Graduated from: Middle East Technical University.

Degrees obtained: BS in Political Science and Public Administration, Minor in European Studies – MS in Political Science and Public Administration.

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