Euro-optimism goes East?

When the decision about shifting the election date to the European Parliament to May was taken, an exceptional opportunity for the party campaigners in the Central and Eastern Europe seemed to arise. Bearing in mind the traditional voters inclination to treat the election to the European Parliament as a second order national election, such circumstances seemed to guarantee a sure hit, definitely in Poland where, according to surveys (e.g. PEW Research), the society is truly committed to the European Union and the favorable view of the European institutions remains dominant.

What was particularly striking, however, was the new security component of the – frankly speaking not particularly vivid - national debate on the Eurozone accession. Besides the usual economic and political deliberation, another argument has been raised, based on the observation of the differences in the solidarity levels within the EU and the Eurozone.

The external perception of Eurozone turbulence and its social impact have weakened the soft power of the Union. Additionally, the bloc’s narrow focus on stability has undermined the credibility of the Union as a normative actor in some quarters. With the escalating crisis in Ukraine the European external performance has been put to the stress test of immense implications. If the EU’s Eastern and the Southern neighbourhoods are to remain engaged, the encouragement for re-commitment from all EU member states is desperately needed.

ISPI: Commentary: Euro-optimism goes East? [PDF] http://www.ispionline.it/sites/default/files/pubblicazioni/commentary_formuszewicz_23.05.2014.pdf

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