In truth, politics in European countries bordering the Mediterranean have been demonstrably more volatile than politics in their northern neighbors. According to the 2007 WGI measure, «Political Stability and Absence of Violence» (described above and scored two years before the Eurozone crisis), the 19 EU members not bordering the Mediterranean Sea scored significantly higher on political stability than the 9 members on the sea (0.87 vs 0.62)13.

One need not succumb to stereotypes, however, to conclude that countries bordering on the Mediterranean Sea tended to rate significantly lower on Rule of Law in 2011, even after controlling for country wealth and the absence of party politics. The difference is a genuine source of concern for the EU’s «European Neighborhood Policy». Why this difference exists requires more sophisticated analysis than attributing it to climate.

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