This paper provides insights into the determinants of euro area reform preferences by means of a randomized survey experiment in Germany. Respondents are confronted with a pro and a contra argument to reform proposals on a European Unemployment Benefit Scheme and a Sovereign Insolvency Procedure, respectively, with the contra argument being varied across respondents. Our results for the control group suggest that there is a low willingness to accept fiscal risk-sharing through common unemployment insurance, while a sovereign insolvency procedure aimed at strengthening market discipline is supported by a majority of the survey participants. Our randomized treatments highlighting specific potential adverse effects of the reforms lead to significant downward shifts in approval rates. Altruism, EU support, nationalism, political preferences and income are important predictors of support for the reform proposals. We also show that there is a striking contrast between the low level of support for transfers to other euro area member states and a broad acceptance of inner German transfers.

本文通过德国的一项随机调查实验，对欧元区改革偏好的决定因素提供了见解。受访者分别对欧洲失业救济金计划和主权破产程序的改革提案持赞成和反对立场，反对者的观点因受访者而异。我们对对照组的结果表明，通过普通失业保险接受财政风险分担的意愿较低，而旨在加强市场纪律的主权破产程序得到了大多数调查参与者的支持。我们的随机处理强调了改革的特定潜在不利影响，导致批准率显着下降。利他主义，欧盟的支持，民族主义，政治偏好和收入是支持改革建议的重要预测指标。我们还表明，在向其他欧元区成员国的转移支付的支持水平较低与广泛接受德国内部转移支付之间存在鲜明的对比。