ABSTRACT
The widespread Eurosceptic contestation of European integration, both in terms of interparty and intraparty politics, is reflected in the rising salience of the issue in virtually all party systems across Europe. This chapter argues that the post-Maastricht trends towards rising levels of public and party-based Euroscepticism and towards increasing numbers of EU referendums and referendum pledges have been mutually reinforcing. The rising levels of public and party-based Euroscepticism in post-Maastricht Europe stand out as key driving forces behind the increasing number of EU referendums and referendum commitments. First, Eurosceptic parties and party factions commonly employ EU referendum demands as an important plank of their political strategy. Second, the political challenge posed by Euroscepticism has contributed to government decisions to pledge popular votes on Europe as a means of fending off Eurosceptic pressures. Third, these dynamics have been reinforced by the transnational repercussions of EU referendums and referendum promises.
