The policy solutions to the European economic crisis (austerity policies, including budget and wage cuts) have been met with fierce public resistance. A key question that arises in this context is to whose preferences do these policies respond? This paper seeks to connect citizens’ attitudes with policy outcomes (in terms of spending for education, health, defense, etc.) and examine government responsiveness in Europe over time. It further asks whether government responsiveness varies for subgroups of the population, such as ethnic minorities. Based on mass survey and policy spending data, our analysis of European countries over time seeks to explain variation of government responsiveness to minorities across European countries.
