EU Referenda in the Baltics: Understanding the Results at the Regional Level

44th ERSA Congress, Paper No. 138

11 Pages Posted: 20 Jun 2005

See all articles by Mihails Hazans

Mihails Hazans

University of Latvia; IZA; GLO; BICEPS

Abstract

This paper analyses regional differences in EU referenda results in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In each of the three countries, other things being equal, high income regions were significantly more pro-European than low-income ones, while regions with a high share of ethnic minorities were significantly more opposed to the enlargement than other regions.

The ethnic effect was strongest in Latvia and weakest in Estonia. These findings clearly indicate necessity of stronger efforts both in integration of the Baltic societies and in the promotion of reliable EU information, especially in less developed regions.

On the other hand, we confirm the findings from earlier referenda that support from EU membership does not come primarily from regions and groups that are likely to benefit from EU-wide redistribution. In Latvia and Estonia the regions bordering with Russia or Belarus were substantially less in favour of EU membership than other regions (controlling for ethnic composition and economic factors). In Latvia, regions on the borders with EU accession countries were significantly more pro-European than other regions.

Keywords: European Union, European integration, cross-border development, ethnic minorities, regional income differentials

JEL Classification: D72, J15, P52, R1

Suggested Citation

Hazans, Mihails, EU Referenda in the Baltics: Understanding the Results at the Regional Level. 44th ERSA Congress, Paper No. 138, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=742224 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.742224

Mihails Hazans (Contact Author)

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