This book examines public opinion towards one of the most important and controversial elements of European integration: the euro. Both fiercely contested and consistently supported, the single currency offers a window into the dynamics of EU legitimacy. The book argues that understanding public attitudes toward the euro reveals how European governance is sustained not only through political contestation but also through forms of 'banal' legitimacy. Drawing on original focus group research in Italy, France, and the Netherlands, it analyses how citizens discuss the euro and relate it to broader questions of national sovereignty, economic justice, and European solidarity. In doing so, it shows how European integration is perceived, interpreted, and evaluated in everyday life, demonstrating how low-salience, taken-for-granted acceptance can underpin European governance more broadly. The book will appeal to scholars and students of European politics, public policy, and democracy.

Joris Melman is a Research Fellow at The Netherlands Scientific Council for Government Policy (WRR), The Netherlands.