Does a European political identity exist today? If not, to what extent is it possible and/or beneficial for EU policymakers to create one?
Political identity is the process through which "individuals recognize themselves as part of a group sharing a set of social and political values and principles" (Lucarelli, p.149). The European Union is still looking for its own identity. This paper aims to prove how European political identity is still 'under construction' and if it is possible or beneficial for EU policymakers to create one.
The European Union is known to promote shared values of democracy, cultural and educational exchange, rule of law, international cooperation, free market and fundamental freedoms among others, but is this enough …show more content…
For politicians to achieve a European political identity, there is a need to redefine identity and demos and for its nations to accept European authority. EU has to have a wider implication than European nations, without removing national identities but incorporating them into a broader community. More presence is required to try and achieve a political identity. This absence of legitimacy is problematic since legitimacy is needed for foreign policy or to be able to pursue any policy in all of the different areas where EU policies take place. Moreover, legitimacy scopes the parameters of EU's sphere of influence. Therefore, Europe has to redefine itself as being the responsible institution, perceived as having valid standing before the people and external or internal actors, and how it is acknowledged by the majority. It is important for people to believe that the government is legit to be and act as the authority. The European Union needs to give more specifics on its authoritarian and political legitimacy …show more content…
Considering all the of the above, we can appreciate that EU's public diplomacy is culture-focused. The promotion of languages and cultures are common tasks, but only because Europe's political role in the world was to be a shadow of American power. In the future European public diplomacy will have to be more political in order to support the EU's foreign policy and achieve a common political identity.
Creating a European political identity would be possible and beneficial if the EU makes a renovation in terms of politics and processes, probably decentralizing the national strategies responsibilities to achieve a better representation of their citizens, and at the same time, keep guarantying a European sphere coordination.
The European Union is a sum of its institutions: the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Council. In this institutional structure, there is hardly anything that can suggest the appearance of a single European State since, the authority remains in the governments and national administrations hands, although it has to be agreed by EU
Political identity is the process through which "individuals recognize themselves as part of a group sharing a set of social and political values and principles" (Lucarelli, p.149). The European Union is still looking for its own identity. This paper aims to prove how European political identity is still 'under construction' and if it is possible or beneficial for EU policymakers to create one.
The European Union is known to promote shared values of democracy, cultural and educational exchange, rule of law, international cooperation, free market and fundamental freedoms among others, but is this enough …show more content…
For politicians to achieve a European political identity, there is a need to redefine identity and demos and for its nations to accept European authority. EU has to have a wider implication than European nations, without removing national identities but incorporating them into a broader community. More presence is required to try and achieve a political identity. This absence of legitimacy is problematic since legitimacy is needed for foreign policy or to be able to pursue any policy in all of the different areas where EU policies take place. Moreover, legitimacy scopes the parameters of EU's sphere of influence. Therefore, Europe has to redefine itself as being the responsible institution, perceived as having valid standing before the people and external or internal actors, and how it is acknowledged by the majority. It is important for people to believe that the government is legit to be and act as the authority. The European Union needs to give more specifics on its authoritarian and political legitimacy …show more content…
Considering all the of the above, we can appreciate that EU's public diplomacy is culture-focused. The promotion of languages and cultures are common tasks, but only because Europe's political role in the world was to be a shadow of American power. In the future European public diplomacy will have to be more political in order to support the EU's foreign policy and achieve a common political identity.
Creating a European political identity would be possible and beneficial if the EU makes a renovation in terms of politics and processes, probably decentralizing the national strategies responsibilities to achieve a better representation of their citizens, and at the same time, keep guarantying a European sphere coordination.
The European Union is a sum of its institutions: the European Commission, the European Parliament, the Council of Ministers and the European Council. In this institutional structure, there is hardly anything that can suggest the appearance of a single European State since, the authority remains in the governments and national administrations hands, although it has to be agreed by EU