Risk sharing when unemployment hits: how policy design influences citizen support for european unemployment risk sharing (EURS)

Abstract

In the aftermath of the Eurozone crisis, proposals to share the risk of unemployment shocks have been high on the political agenda. The argument with regard to the Eurozone is that a monetary union needs mechanisms to buttress or complement the automatic stabilizers of its member states; support for national unemployment insurance might achieve this. However, are European citizens ready to share the risk of unemployment crises hitting their countries? This report sheds light on that crucial, yet unresolved question by conducting a conjoint survey experiment on public support for European unemployment risk sharing (EURS) among a representative sample of 19641 respondents in 13 European member states in October and November 2018.