Politicisation of the EU’s communication to citizens in times of crisis: mission impossible or secret weapon of European institutions?
2025, 2025, No. 3
Publication date
Submission date
Acceptance date
Publishing model
License type
Field
Discipline
Language of publication
Abstract
This article presents selected aspects of the change in the way the EU communicates with its citizens during the numerous crises faced by it recently. The study fills in a gap regarding the impact of the EU institutions’ communication activities, including influence on the resilience of the citizens of the Member States to the anti-European narrative of populists. Cases of the European Green Deal (in particular communicating it in Poland) and the situation in Ukraine were selected for the study. The analysis also includes selected statements by top EU officials, pointing out politicisation of the EU’s communication. The used research methods are: elements of the system method (for the analysis of the communication activities related to the EU policies within the EU political system), discourse analysis (to understand the main themes appearing in the EU leaders’ and officials’ statements), as well as a case study method (to analyse two cases of the EU’s communication strategies implementation). The latter method will be related to key cases as presented by Yin (see: Yin 2003). The research results confirm that the efficiency of the EU’s communication actions is limited mainly due to a lack of the unified approach supported by the determination to cooperate with the Member States in this regard, as well as due to a lack of coherent counter-narrative to the story that the right-wing populists talk about the EU. In contrast, the general paradigm shifts in EU’s communication to citizens, evident in recent years, has been to make the message increasingly political instead of communicating administration, and to place increasing emphasis on values instead of communicating the economic benefits of membership. To some extent, this shift is the result of the need to respond to the anti-European narrative of populists.
Keywords:
Bibliography
ALVAREZ Carmen (2017), European Union faces new challenges after a pivotal year, “Geostrategy”, https://www.bbva.com/en/european-union-faces-new-challenges-pivotal-year/ (15.12.2017).
ANTOŃ Paulina (2016), Strefa Schengen a bezpieczeństwo wewnętrzne Unii Europejskiej, in: Zbigniew Kwiasowski, Katarzyna Pabis-Cisowska, Marek Pietrzyk (eds), Bezpieczeństwo w nowych czasach, Kraków.
BOIN Arjen, EKENGREN Magnus, RHINARD Mark (2013), The European Union as crisis manager, Cambridge University Press. DOI: 10.1017/CBO9781139565400
BOSSE Giselle (2022), Values, rights, and changing interests: The EU’s response to the war against Ukraine and the responsibility to protect Europeans, “Contemporary Security Policy”, vol. 43, no. 3. DOI: 10.1080/13523260.2022.2099713
BUJDEI-TEBEICA Vlad (2023), European Populism and the War in Ukraine: Populist Narratives in Support of Vladimir Putin, “Perspective politice”, no. 16. DOI: 10.25019/perspol/23.16.1
BUZOGÁNY Aron, KERÉNYI Szabina, OLT Gergely (2022), Back to the grassroots? The shrinking space of environmental activism in illiberal Hungary, “Environmental Politics”, vol. 31, no. 7. DOI: 10.1080/09644016.2022.2113607
BUZOGÁNY Aron, MOHAMAD-KLOTZBACH Christoph (2021), Populism and nature – the nature of populism: New perspectives on the relationship between populism, climate change, and nature protection, “Zeitschrift Für Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft”, vol. 15. DOI: 10.1007/s12286-021-00492-7
CBOS (2024), Ukrainians in Poland and the war in Ukraine, „Polish Public Opinion”, October 2024, https://www.cbos.pl/PL/publikacje/public_opinion/2024/10_2024.pdf (31.10.2024).
DÄUBLER Thomas, HIX Simon (2018), Ballot structure, list flexibility and policy representation, “Journal of European Public Policy”, vol. 25, no. 12. DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2017.1361465
DEKEYREL Simon, ŠIPKA Stefan, BRADY Danielle, LAUSBERG Philipp, RAYNER Laura (2024), The Green Deal in times of polycrisis: Aligning short-term responses with long-term commitments, Discussion Paper “Sustainable Prosperity for Europe Programme”, 29 February 2024, European Policy Centre, https://d1xp398qalq39s.cloudfront.net/content/PDF/2024/TheGreenDeal_DP_v5.pdf (25.02.2024).
DE LA TORRE Carlos (2019), Is left populism the radical democratic answer?, “Irish Journal of Sociology”, vol. 27, no. 1.
DE SCHOUTHEETE Philippe (2014), Institutional Reform in the EU, European Policy Brief no. 19, February 2014, https://aei.pitt.edu/63542/1/EPB19.pdf (28.02.2014).
EASTON David (1964), The Political Systems, New York.
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (WWW), The European Green Deal: Striving to be the first climate-neutral continent, https://commission.europa.eu/strategy-and-policy/priorities-2019-2024/european-green-deal_en (15.02.2025).
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2023a), Factsheet – The European Green Deal – Delivering the EU's 2030 Climate Targets, https://commission.europa.eu/publications/delivering-european-green-deal_en (09.20.2023).
EUROPEAN COMMISSION (2023b), Keynote speech by President von der Leyen at the Ukraine Recovery Conference 2023, Directorate-General for Neighbourhood and Enlargement Negotiations, https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/news/keynote-speech-president-von-der-leyen-ukraine-recovery-conference-2023-2023-06-21_en (21.06.2023).
EUROBAROMETER (2023), Majority of Europeans consider that the green transition should go faster, Special Eurobarometer on climate change, https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_3934 (20.07.2023).
EUROBAROMETER (2024), Perceptions of EU crisis management, https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3220 (30.06.2024).
EUROPEAN POLICY CENTRE (2025), Trump returns: The challenges ahead for the EU, „Compendium”, https://www.epc.eu/content/US_Elections_Compendium_v4.pdf (16.01.2025).
FENOGLIO Jérôme (2025), Fighting for facts in the era of Trump and Musk, „Le Monde”, 20 January 2025. https://www.lemonde.fr/en/opinion/article/2025/01/20/fighting-for-facts-in-the-era-of-trump-and-musk_6737224_23.html
FERNÁNDEZ Óscar, VANDENDRIESSCHE Marie, SAZ-CARRANZA Ángel, AGELL Núria, FRANCO Javier (2023), The impact of Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine on public perceptions of EU security and defence integration: a big data analysis, „Journal of European Integration”, vol. 45, no. 3. DOI: 10.1080/07036337.2023.2183392
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 506 (2022), EU’s response to the war in Ukraine, May 2022, https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/2772 (31.05.2022).
FLASH EUROBAROMETER 550 (2024), EU challenges and priorities, June-July 2024, https://www.ipsos.com/sites/default/files/2024-09/EU%20challenges%20and%20priorities%20FL550_summary_en.pdf (31.07.2024).
GAINOUS Jason, WAGNER Kevin M. (2013), Tweeting to Power: The Social Media Revolution in American Politics, Oxford. DOI: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199965076.001.0001
GOTEV Georgi (2024), The Brief – von der Leyen’s best speech?, „Euractiv”, https://www.euractiv.com/section/politics/opinion/the-brief-von-der-leyens-best-speech/ (10.10.2024).
GRANDE Edgar, HUTTER Swen (2015), Beyond authority transfer: explaining the politicisation of Europe, “West European Politics”, vol. 39, no. 1. DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2015.1081504
HAAPALA Taru, OLEART Álvaro, BEYER Jan (2022), Epilogue: Tracing the Politicisation of the EU — A Research Agenda for Exploring the Politicising Strategies in the Future of Europe Debates, in: Taru Haapala, Álvaro Oleart (eds), Tracing the Politicisation of the EU, Cham. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-82700-7_13
HÅKANSSON Calle (2024a), The Ukraine war and the emergence of the European Commission as a geopolitical actor, “Journal of European Integration”, vol. 46, no. 1. DOI: 10.1080/07036337.2023.2239998
HÅKANSSON Calle (2024b), Von der Leyen’s Geopolitical Commission: Vindicated by Events?, “European Policy Analysis”, March 2024:7epa, Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, https://sieps.se/media/2uapy21y/2024_7epa.pdf (31.03.2024).
HANSEN Allan Dreyer, SØRENSEN Eva (2005), Polity as Politics: Studying the Shaping and Effects of Discoursive Polities, in: David Howarth, Jacob Torfing (eds), Discourse Theory in European Politics: Identity, Policy and Governance, Palgrave Macmillan, London.
https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230523364_4
HEINRICHS Pauline (2020), The strategic narration of future identity during times of crises: evidence from the European Commission, “Australian and New Zealand Journal of European Studies”, vol. 12, no. 3. DOI: 10.30722/anzjes.vol12.iss3.15362
HOLESCH Adam, ZAGÓRSKI Piotr (2023), Toxic friend? The impact of the Russian invasion on democratic backsliding and PRR cooperation in Europe, „West European Politics”, vol. 46, no. 6. DOI: 10.1080/01402382.2023.2202981
HOOGHE Liesbet, MARKS Gary, BAKKER Ryan, JOLLY Seth, POLK Jonathan, ROVNY Jan, STEENBERGEN Marco, VACHUDOVA Milada Anna (2024), The Russian threat and the consolidation of the West: How populism and EU-skepticism shape party support for Ukraine, “European Union Politics”, vol. 25, issue 3. DOI: 10.1177/14651165241237136
HOOGHE Liesbet, MARKS Gary (2009), A Postfunctionalist Theory of European Integration: From Permissive Consensus to Constraining Dissensus, “British Journal of Political Science”, vol. 39, issue 1. DOI:10.1017/S0007123408000409
IEEP (2023), European Green Deal Barometer 2023, Institute for European Environmental Policy, , https://ieep.eu/publications/european-green-deal-barometer-2023/ (18.06.2023).
JACK Victor (2022), Ukraine’s Zelenskyy ups pressure on EU with plea for immediate membership, „Politico”, https://www.politico.eu/article/volodymyr-zelenskyy-eu-ukraine-membership/ (28.02.2022).
JAS-KOZIARKEWICZ Marta (2015), Prawne i instytucjonalne podstawy polityki informacyjnej Unii Europejskiej, „Przegląd Europejski”, no. 2(36).
JONES Erik (2021), Next Generation EU: Solidarity, Opportunity, and Confidence, “European Policy Analysis”, June 2021: 11epa. Swedish Institute for European Policy Studies, https://www.sieps.se/media/s2wh1eyo/2021_11epa.pdf (30.06.2021).
MUKAND Sharun, RODRIK Dani (2020), The Political Economy of Liberal Democracy, “The Economic Journal”, vol. 130, issue 627. DOI: 10.1093/ej/ueaa004
NIRANJAN Ajit (2025), EU rollback on environmental policy is gaining momentum, warn campaigners, „The Guardian”, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/26/eu-rollback-on-environmental-policy-deregulation-european-green-deal (26.06.2025).
NOTES FROM POLAND (2024), Polish farmers hold “warning protests” across Poland, https://notesfrompoland.com/2024/12/03/polish-farmers-hold-warning-protests-across-poland/ (03.12.2024).
O’CAROLL Lisa, TONDO Lorenzo, CONNOLLY Kate (2024), Ursula von der Leyen vows never to work with Europe’s far-right parties, The Guardian Labs, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/feb/21/ursula-von-der-leyen-vows-never-to-work-with-europe-far-right-parties (21.02.2024).
PÉREZ-CURIEL Concha, RIVAS-DE-ROCA Rubén (2022), Exploring Populism in Times of Crisis: An Analysis of Disinformation in the European Context during the US Elections, “Journalism and Media”, vol. 3 (1). DOI: /10.3390/journalmedia3010012
PERTIWI Lunyka Adelina (2024), The EU’s Approach to Sanctions on Russia: A Critical Analysis of the Existing Literature, “Central European Journal of International and Security Studies”, vol. 18, issue 3. DOI: 10.51870/NOEX4475
ROGOJSZ Łukasz (2024), „Zaufanie do UE jest nadszarpnięte”. Chodzi o sztandarowy program Brukseli, https://wydarzenia.interia.pl/kraj/news-zaufanie-do-ue-jest-nadszarpniete-chodzi-o-sztandarowy-progr,nId,7507776 (13.05.2024).
RUNCIMAN David (2018), How Democracy Ends, London.
SCHRAMM Lucas, KROTZ Ulrich (2024), Leadership in European crisis politics: France, Germany, and the difficult quest for regional stabilization and integration, “Journal of European Public Policy”, vol. 31, no. 5. DOI: 10.1080/13501763.2023.2169742
SOBIESIAK-PENSZKO Paulina, BANUL-WÓJCIKOWSKA Katarzyna (2025), Wielkie nieporozumienie. Narracje o rolnikach, rolnictwie i bezpieczeństwie żywnościowym. Żywność, rolnictwo i my, Instytut Spraw Publicznych, Warszawa.
STANDARD EUROBAROMETER 100 (2023), Autumn 2023, https://europa.eu/eurobarometer/surveys/detail/3053 (30.11.2023).
ŚWIEBODA Paweł (2007), Jak przywrócić dynamikę Unii Europejskiej? W poszukiwaniu odpowiedzi na kryzys konstytucyjny w UE, Raport demosEuropa Centrum Strategii Europejskiej, Warszawa.
SZYMAŃSKA Jolanta (2020), Joint Crisis-Response: Towards a European Health Union, “PISM Bulletin”, no. 263, https://www.pism.pl/publications/Joint_CrisisResponse_Towards_a_European_Health_Union (23.12.2020).
TOSTES Ana Paula (2024), Enemies Inside: European Populism and Dimensions of Euroscepticism, “Populism & Politics”, European Center for Populism Studies, 5 December 2024. DOI: 10.55271/pp0043b
VAN ESCH Femke (2017), The nature of the European leadership crisis and how to solve it, “European Political Science”, vol. 16, no. 1. DOI: 10.1057/eps.2015.114
WITAJEWSKA-BALTVILKA Baiba, HELEPCIUC Florenta-Elena, MANGALAGIU Diana, TODOR Arpad (2024), Politicization of climate change and Central and Eastern European countries’ stance towards the European Green Deal, “Global Environmental Change”, vol. 89. DOI: 10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2024.102932
YIN Robert K. (2003), Case Study Research Design and Methods (3rd ed.), Thousand Oaks, CA.
Other articles from the issue
- SLAPPEuropean Unionpublic debatemediafreedom of expressionEU policy
European Union policy on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in the media
- media servicesmedia freedommedia pluralismmonitoringEuropean Union
Media services monitoring in the European Union – scope, barriers and prospects
- public opinionmedia systemjournalistspoliticisation of mediaPoland
Perception of the media in Poland as the “fourth estate” in 2016-2023: survey aspect
Similar publications
- SLAPPEuropean Unionpublic debatemediafreedom of expressionEU policy
European Union policy on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPP) in the media
- media servicesmedia freedommedia pluralismmonitoringEuropean Union
Media services monitoring in the European Union – scope, barriers and prospects
- public opinionmedia systemjournalistspoliticisation of mediaPoland
Perception of the media in Poland as the “fourth estate” in 2016-2023: survey aspect