Personal Diplomacy in the EU. Political Leadership and Critical Junctures of European Integration

At a time when the economic troubles and bailouts of Greece and other European economies are casting significant doubt on the future viability of the Eurozone and the EU, it is crucial to examine the origins of the political will and leadership that is necessary to move the integration process forward.

This book makes a significant conceptual and empirical contribution by elucidating the extent to which the integration process hinges not on institutions and norms, but on the relations among leaders. Vogt conducts a comparative diplomatic history of three critical junctures in the process of European integration: the creation of the Common Market (1955–1957), British accession (1969–1973), and the introduction of the Euro (1989–1993). He illustrates how personal diplomacy, leadership constellations, and the dynamics among leaders enable breakthroughs or inhibit accords. He also reveals how the EU’s system of top-level decision-making that privileges institutionalised summitry has operated in the past and suggests – in a separate chapter – why it has come to atrophy and prove more dysfunctional of late.

Table of Contents

Preface
Introduction

Part I: Leadership as a Conceptual Framework
1. Making Sense of Critical Junctures in European Integration
2. The Influence of Leadership: Personal Diplomacy and Risk-Taking

Part II: Leadership and Critical Junctures of European Integration
3. Personal Diplomacy and Trust, 1955-1957
4. Changes in Leadership Constellations, 1969-1973
5. Problem-Solving Leadership, 1990-1993
6. What’s Next? From Leadership to Crisis Management
7. Conclusion: Leadership and the Fragility of Institutions

List of Abbreviations
Bibliography
Index