An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Krotz, Ulrich
Data de Publicação: 2021
Outros Autores: Schramm, Lucas
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)
Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645
Resumo: What are the implications of Brexit for the nature, role, and potential of Franco-German leadership in the EU? Brexit, we contend, is both an expression and a further cause of two broader underlying developments in the contemporary EU: First, a stronger and more prominent German part and position, and second, disintegrative tendencies in several EU policy fields and the EU polity as a whole. This, in turn, has major implications for Franco-German bilateralism and for Franco-German leadership in the EU. In light of a stronger Germany, a relatively weaker France, and significant centrifugal forces, the two largest EU member states must not only realign their bilateral relationship but must also act as a stabilizer in and for the EU. We show that during the EU’s recent crises, not least during the Brexit negotiations and the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, France and Germany did exercise joint leadership. We also show, however, that major discrepancies persist between the two countries in particular policy fields and with regard to longer-term European objectives. Brexit, with its numerous calamities and implications, thus once again moves Franco-German leadership—and its shortcomings—to center stage in Europe. When it comes to leadership in the EU, there remains no viable alternative to the Franco-German duo. Yet, in order to provide constructive leadership and successfully shape the EU, the two countries must bridge substantial differences and be ready to carry disproportionately high burdens.
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spelling An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EUbilateralism; Brexit; Covid-19; EU; France; Germany; leadershipWhat are the implications of Brexit for the nature, role, and potential of Franco-German leadership in the EU? Brexit, we contend, is both an expression and a further cause of two broader underlying developments in the contemporary EU: First, a stronger and more prominent German part and position, and second, disintegrative tendencies in several EU policy fields and the EU polity as a whole. This, in turn, has major implications for Franco-German bilateralism and for Franco-German leadership in the EU. In light of a stronger Germany, a relatively weaker France, and significant centrifugal forces, the two largest EU member states must not only realign their bilateral relationship but must also act as a stabilizer in and for the EU. We show that during the EU’s recent crises, not least during the Brexit negotiations and the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, France and Germany did exercise joint leadership. We also show, however, that major discrepancies persist between the two countries in particular policy fields and with regard to longer-term European objectives. Brexit, with its numerous calamities and implications, thus once again moves Franco-German leadership—and its shortcomings—to center stage in Europe. When it comes to leadership in the EU, there remains no viable alternative to the Franco-German duo. Yet, in order to provide constructive leadership and successfully shape the EU, the two countries must bridge substantial differences and be ready to carry disproportionately high burdens.Cogitatio2021-01-27info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersioninfo:eu-repo/semantics/articleapplication/pdfhttps://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645oai:ojs.cogitatiopress.com:article/3645Politics and Governance; Vol 9, No 1 (2021): What Brexit Means for Europe: EU Institutions and Actors after the British Referendum; 48-582183-2463reponame:Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos)instname:Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãoinstacron:RCAAPenghttps://www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandgovernance/article/view/3645https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645https://www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandgovernance/article/view/3645/3645Copyright (c) 2021 Ulrich Krotz, Lucas Schrammhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessKrotz, UlrichSchramm, Lucas2022-12-22T15:16:09Zoai:ojs.cogitatiopress.com:article/3645Portal AgregadorONGhttps://www.rcaap.pt/oai/openaireopendoar:71602024-03-19T16:22:15.398159Repositório Científico de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (Repositórios Cientìficos) - Agência para a Sociedade do Conhecimento (UMIC) - FCT - Sociedade da Informaçãofalse
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
title An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
spellingShingle An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
Krotz, Ulrich
bilateralism; Brexit; Covid-19; EU; France; Germany; leadership
title_short An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
title_full An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
title_fullStr An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
title_full_unstemmed An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
title_sort An Old Couple in a New Setting: Franco-German Leadership in the Post-Brexit EU
author Krotz, Ulrich
author_facet Krotz, Ulrich
Schramm, Lucas
author_role author
author2 Schramm, Lucas
author2_role author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Krotz, Ulrich
Schramm, Lucas
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv bilateralism; Brexit; Covid-19; EU; France; Germany; leadership
topic bilateralism; Brexit; Covid-19; EU; France; Germany; leadership
description What are the implications of Brexit for the nature, role, and potential of Franco-German leadership in the EU? Brexit, we contend, is both an expression and a further cause of two broader underlying developments in the contemporary EU: First, a stronger and more prominent German part and position, and second, disintegrative tendencies in several EU policy fields and the EU polity as a whole. This, in turn, has major implications for Franco-German bilateralism and for Franco-German leadership in the EU. In light of a stronger Germany, a relatively weaker France, and significant centrifugal forces, the two largest EU member states must not only realign their bilateral relationship but must also act as a stabilizer in and for the EU. We show that during the EU’s recent crises, not least during the Brexit negotiations and the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, France and Germany did exercise joint leadership. We also show, however, that major discrepancies persist between the two countries in particular policy fields and with regard to longer-term European objectives. Brexit, with its numerous calamities and implications, thus once again moves Franco-German leadership—and its shortcomings—to center stage in Europe. When it comes to leadership in the EU, there remains no viable alternative to the Franco-German duo. Yet, in order to provide constructive leadership and successfully shape the EU, the two countries must bridge substantial differences and be ready to carry disproportionately high burdens.
publishDate 2021
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2021-01-27
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dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645
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url https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645
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dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandgovernance/article/view/3645
https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v9i1.3645
https://www.cogitatiopress.com/politicsandgovernance/article/view/3645/3645
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv Copyright (c) 2021 Ulrich Krotz, Lucas Schramm
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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rights_invalid_str_mv Copyright (c) 2021 Ulrich Krotz, Lucas Schramm
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0
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dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Cogitatio
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Cogitatio
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Politics and Governance; Vol 9, No 1 (2021): What Brexit Means for Europe: EU Institutions and Actors after the British Referendum; 48-58
2183-2463
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