“Who do I call if I want to call Europe?” — Henry Kissinger, Former United States Secretary of State.
The period of substantial instability that has hit the European Union since the Greek financial crisis began in 2011 seems unending. Inevitably, questions arise as to whether there still exists a viable future for the European Union. Many questions and speculations arose in the 1980s and 1990s as to the possibility of a unified monetary Europe without a unified political Europe, creating a Federal Europe or a United States of Europe. The above quote by Henry Kissinger refers to the lack of a single foreign policy across a continent comprising of various nations with various interests. Despite many attempts at greater unity, the European Union (EU) still struggles to find common ground on many issues. The most significant issue at hand is finding a successful solution to the financial crisis in the Eurozone.
These fundamental questions are bound to crop up as the process of a European construction is a gradual, interactive one. What began with six then nine, 10, 12, 15, 25 and soon to be 28 member states brings along inevitable complexities and may be deemed as a constant work in progress. On the institutional level, the leadership is shared between a number of presidents, that of the European Council, the European Commission, the Eurogroup and Foreign Affairs. Add to this the fact that each state possesses its own political entities and it can be deduced that the future of Europe is more conflictual rather than consensual.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Elysee Treaty or the Treaty of Friendship between France and Germany and the cooperation between these two countries, two of the pillars of the origins of the European Union. It is interesting to note that despite the solidarity between these two nations in times of peace and stability, they are often at odds with each other in not so peaceful times.
Through the years, consistent blame for this has been placed on a lack of charismatic leadership or a lack of leadership period that defines, sets and achieves constructive common goals. This absence of leadership served as a unique feature in the construction of the European Union but at the same time weakens it in times of crisis. It is also this same absence of leadership that leads to questions and doubts as to the future of Europe and its direction.
Times of crises such as those that the EU is facing currently have given rise to critics of the system in the form of extremist political parties all across the EU. One major point of contention of such parties is the issue of immigration and their views of its direct link to extremely elevated levels of unemployment. However, discontentment and scepticism is not uniquely a matter expressed by extremist political groups such as The National Front in France. There has also been a steady rise in doubting voices regarding the future of the European Union within mainstream political parties.
A European integration weighs more and more heavily also in member states’ national elections, as can be observed in Italy, Greece, Spain and Ireland. A distinct rejection at least of some aspects of the EU’s policies have definitely been at the forefront in these elections.
The undeniable challenge at present that the EU faces is finding a common structured solution to the financial and banking crisis and to minimise costs. In doing so, it must not be forgotten that the EU’s greatest challenge is not merely to find such solutions to the crisis for its own welfare but to sustain a position economically in the global realm to compete with emerging markets. Failure to resolve the issues that plague the EU’s economies today could potentially lead to taking a back seat to the emerging economies tomorrow. The crises faced in Greece, Spain, Ireland, Portugal, Cyprus, etc, serve as a serious wake-up call to the EU and shows that perhaps most of the member states are potentially vulnerable. At present, Europe is the largest economy in the world because on the trade front, it is able to act in a unified manner and speak with one voice. Europe has the capacity to be a superpower but lacks the organisation and the concept to be so.
What the current problematic issues the European Union is facing demonstrate clearly the fragile nature of the entity. It is of utmost importance to remember that the creation of the European Union was a response to tackling problems and not creating them. What this depends on largely is in the hands of the leaders of the European Union and their motivation and desire to move forward collectively as opposed to a move to preserve their national sovereignty.
The writer is an English and French professor and columnist residing in the USA and France. She can be reached at [email protected]