The Limits to Euroscepticism in Ireland (TruLies Blog by Mary C. Murphy)
Ireland and the European Union have a turbulent history – from two negative referenda about treaty changes, over rising Euroscepticism during the eurozone crisis, to the uncertainty of Brexit. Despite these challenging incidents, the vast majority of the Irish population, including political parties and civil society organizations, are optimistic about the EU’s future. Why? In her blog, Mary C. Murphy analyzes Ireland’s relationship with the EU and finds several reasons for its pro-European stance: Economic and political benefits from EU membership, the irrelevance of fringe parties, and a largely positive attitude towards immigration.
Dr. Mary C. Murphy is a lecturer in politics with the Department of Government, University College Cork.
The project “TruLies – The Truth about Lies on Europe”, aided by the Stiftung Mercator and run by the Institute for European Politics (IEP) in cooperation with Das Progressive Zentrum, has two principal objectives. On the one hand, it strives to deconstruct Eurosceptic and populist prejudices, animosities, and false assertions, by means of social scientifically-grounded analysis. Thus, it aims to contribute to a rationalisation of the public discourse and debate in Germany (and beyond). On the other hand, “TruLies Europe” endeavours to publicly communicate its findings beyond the select circle of scholars to political actors, civil society, and the wider public. You may find further information on our website: http://trulies-europe.de/.
Mary C. Murphy’s contribution can be found here.