Self and Sovereign: Exploring the Dynamics That Link Identity in Accepting (Supranational) Laws

Is someone's willingness to follow the law predicated on the extent to which they see themselves as part of the state? In other words, does the degree there is overlap between their conception of 'self' and of their 'sovereign' explain their perception of crime? This work attempts to answer said questions, reminiscent of Rousseauian norms on statehood and legitimacy of law-making, capitalizing on the emerging duality of European criminal law, specifically in the case of EU subsidy fraud. Through representative surveying of three EU MS (Italy, Czechia, and Romania), data was collected on citizens’ identification with the EU and their respective national governments, as well as their sentiments towards subsidy fraud (occurring against supranational and national authorities). The results build understanding on if one’s ability to identity with their sovereign defines their sentiment towards criminal acts against said entity and have implications on future measures to combat leakages in European public expenditure.