Political reactions to the euro crisis: cross-national variations and rescaling issues in elections and popular protests

In this paper, we explore the different political responses to the euro crisis among European publics since the financial crisis in Europe started in 2008 by concentrating on the two most important organizational vehicles in a democratic polity: political parties and social movements. We examine the political geography of possible shifts in support patterns for competing parties at national elections (in the member states where they have been held) and the geographical distribution of popular protests related to the crisis in 2011-2012. Finally, we address the risks of democratic deterioration by comparing current developments with the interwar period.