THE FACTOR OF EUROSCEPTICISM IN EUROPEAN UNION COUNTRIES: STATUS AND COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

Abstract

In recent years, populist politicians have been drawing increasing attention both among voters and within the academic community. Euroscepticism, a specific form of populism, has become a more prominent trend in the electoral politics of European Union countries. In recent election campaigns, Eurosceptics have been strengthening their positions in several countries and have even come to power in some. The authors of this article aim to compare representatives of this movement from different countries, identifying similarities and differences. This is necessary to understand why this political ideology is gaining popularity and to make forecasts for upcoming electoral campaigns. The main concern associated with the growing popularity of Eurosceptics in certain countries is the question of the European Union's future existence. To address this, it is essential to analyze why Eurosceptic rhetoric resonates with voters. The authors conducted a qualitative content analysis of the election programs of Eurosceptic parties and politicians from five EU countries, followed by a comparative analysis to identify the main themes of Eurosceptic rhetoric. Based on the data obtained, it was found that regardless of the country and current situation, Eurosceptics exploit the issue of migration, exaggerating its scale and blaming the current national governments and the European Union for everything. This superficial approach allows the assertion that Eurosceptic politicians are populists. Moreover, this influences the global trend of the growth and strengthening of populism.