do MEPs focus on their national interests or on their party ideology?
For voters, it is difficult to find out what the answer is.When European elections are held, it is important for voters to understand how the European Parliament works. It is almost impossible for citizens to have a detailed view of all the policy issues that were discussed there during the last five years. Citizens should have a helicopter view of how decisions were made. Two views are in the vogue: the European Parliament is a battle of national interests, or: it is a normal parliament where party ideologies play an important role. Many citizens interpret the European Parliament as a battle of national interests. Ministers tell them about the outcomes of negotiations in the council, and which issues they ‘won’. Citizens interpret the European Parliament as the same battle. This view is popular among right-wing populists as well: they say that the Netherlands pays too much for Europe, which suggests that a constant battle is fought about money. Another view of the European Parliament
