Too Much “Politicking”? Analysis of the European Interest in Politics

Análise ao panorama europeu de interesse pela política

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to analyze the degree to which politics is important to citizens in their lives. In a society where civic participation is fundamental to the normal functioning of political life, and where there has recently been a period of elections with unexpected results, it is important to understand how political issues are relevant to different European societies. In theoretical terms, this is yet another study of perceived opinion, i.e. a study based on understanding citizens' opinions and feelings about certain issues. The formulation of a comparative study at European level thus allows us to go further and understand trends in Europe that until now were not perceptible, or that even go against certain preconceptions that exist on the subject. The aim of this study is therefore to understand how European citizens attach importance to politics in their lives. In order to achieve the proposed objectives, data from an existing database will be analyzed and then treated comparatively. It is understood that the more developed countries, with a higher HDI rate, have a greater interest in the subject, while countries in the south of the European continent, as well as Eastern Europe, are farther away in terms of interest.