European Disintegration?

Book excerpt: Observers of the European Union (EU) could be forgiven for thinking that it is in a state of permanent crisis. The Union has been beset with high levels of Eurozone debt, attempts to de-escalate armed conflict in Ukraine, integrating refugees fleeing conflict, and the consequences of Brexit. Most existing scholarship on the European Union is concerned with Europe's increasing political integration. This book offers instead a concise assessment of the dynamics, character and consequences of these four crises for a Europe on the brink of distintegration. While Germany has long been the EU's stabilizing force, this is no longer guaranteed. The fate of the integration process will depend on whether more inclusive forms of stabilizing leadership emerge to fill the vacuum created by Berlin's incapacity. In a time of great uncertainty in European politics, this text provides a clear guide to the future of one of the most critical political players today. This text is the ideal companion for students of the EU on politics, international relations or European studies degrees, or for anyone interested in the possibility of European disintegration.