Europeanization of citizens vis-á-vis regional politicians: the case of the German-speaking Community of Belgium in the Euregio Maas-Rhine

ABSTRACT

Cross-border regions are often deemed laboratories for initiatives to increase Europeanization. Our paper examines the German-speaking Community of Belgium in the Euregio Maas-Rhine to assess the relevance of everyday cross-border activities to the perception that living in a border region presents a unique opportunity to feel and think as a European. Departing from the assumptions of both Deutsch’s transaction theory and Allport’s contact hypothesis, we analyze Eurobarometer data (population-level surveys) and use data from focus groups with regional MPs. Results from quantitative data analysis suggest that perceptions of life in cross-border regions are positively influenced by frequent cross-border movement (functional dimension) as well as general trust in other people (emotional dimension). Our qualitative data from focus groups support the findings from the quantitative analysis and demonstrate further that it is not merely the quantity but the quality of contacts that contribute to a gradual ‘growing together’.

KEYWORDS:

• Cross-border regions
• Europeanization
• mixed methods
• public–elite gap
• attitudes

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. The Euregio Maas-Rhine has set up several tools to provide information on the coronavirus to citizens and businesses: For example, the ‘Crossing Borders Tool’. This tool made it possible to answer questions from citizens when crossing the border in relation to the various national COVID-19 measures (https://crossing-borders.euregio-mr.info/de/layout/default_de/). Additionally, a ‘border info point’ (‘Grenzinfopunkt’ in German) advised cross-border commuters.

2. http://www.ostbelgienstatistik.be/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-6895/11278_read-62109/

3. Detailed information about the institutional development of the German-speaking Community of Belgium can be found on the following website: https://ostbelgienlive.be/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-72/186_read-448/

4. The Euregio Maas-Rhine consists of following regions: North Rine-Westphalia, the Belgian province Limburg, province Liège/Luik, German-Speaking Community of Belgium and the Dutch province Limburg (https://www.euregio-mr.info/).

5. The Saar-Lor-Lux Region consists of following entities: Saarland, Rhineland-Palatinate, Wallonia, Luxembourg and Lorraine.

6. Data from the statistical portal of the German-speaking community in Belgium: https://www.ostbelgienstatistik.be/

7. Arbeitsamt der Deutschsprachigen Gemeinschaft Belgiens (2019)

8. https://euregio-mr.info/de/ueber-uns/geschichte/

9. https://www.regioparl.com/?lang=en

10. https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/sources/docoffic/official/reports/eurobarometer/422/cbc_coop_pres_en.pdf