Publisher's Synopsis
The European Union received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2012 and was basking in the glory of 70 years of remarkable achievements. But the first dark clouds had begun to appear on the horizon. The rise of populism changed Europe's political landscape. High numbers of migrants and refugees started to have an impact on the political discourse. The single currency, instead of safeguarding prosperity, brought rising poverty levels and growing unemployment in many member states, most notably in Greece. The Brexit referendum of 2016 saw the manifestation of a political movement that regarded the national interest of the United Kingdom as being better served outside the union. The enlargement process to integrate Turkey and the western Balkans had been painstakingly slow, yet if completed, might fundamentally change the configuration of EU politics. These developments are tearing at the seams of the European project and the existing setup of the EU is struggling to provide decisive solutions to serious contemporary problems. But a failure to respond coherently might threaten the very existence of the European Union. We are witnessing a Europe that is at a highly critical juncture. Continuing in a similar vein as before might not offer any cogent remedies. But agreeing on new institutional or policy designs might not be forthcoming either, because of conflicting notions amongst member states over how a future EU ought to look like. A dilemma is a situation, in which a difficult choice must be made between two or more alternatives that might be equally undesirable. This book analyses the causes of 5 dilemmas: populism, migration, the Euro, Brexit and enlargement. It suggests scenarios how these challenges - if at all possible - can be met. While critical of the responses of EU actors in handling these crises, the book also provides suggestions on how a potential collapse of Europe can be avoided.
