Does my voice count in the EU? Political efficacy in a multilevel system, 2004-2024

Although public attitudes toward the European Union (EU) have been extensively studied, few works have systematically examined political efficacy at the EU level – citizens’ belief that their political actions and voices matter within the EU political system. With the deepening of European integration, the transfer of decision-making authority to the EU level, and the rise of Euroscepticism, questions about citizens’ feeling of empowerment have gained renewed importance. Perceptions of political efficacy may underlie broader patterns of political engagement, legitimacy, and support for the EU. This paper examines the predictors of political efficacy at the EU level. Using data from 39 Eurobarometer survey waves (2004–2024), covering 28 countries and more than one million respondents, it demonstrates that EU-level political efficacy is strongly linked to efficacy at the national level, as well as trust in the national government and trust in the EU. Country-level predictors of EU efficacy include population size, wealth, economic performance, constitutionally mandated referendums on EU matters, the proportionality of the electoral system, and characteristics of party systems. Together, these findings highlight that citizens’ sense of efficacy within the EU is shaped by both individual- and country-level political contexts, underscoring the importance of domestic institutional and performance factors in sustaining democratic legitimacy at the supranational level.