Building Regional Citizenship in Mercosur: Normative Advances and Public Perceptions

ABSTRACT

This article examines regional citizenship in Mercosur by linking legal–institutional developments with public perceptions of integration. Drawing on official Mercosur documents and Latin‐Barometer datasets, it adopts a multidimensional conception of citizenship encompassing rights, political participation, and collective identity. The findings reveal a persistent gap between normative ambitions and popular support. Despite key agreements such as the Residence Agreement and the Citizenship Statute, weak supranational institutions and limited participatory mechanisms constrain the societal internalization of regional citizenship. Identification with Mercosur remains moderate and uneven across countries, with Uruguay displaying relatively higher levels of regional attachment.