Publications

Sixty years after the Treaty of Rome was signed, the European Union faces an existential threat in the form of a series of crises, both foreign and domestic. At home, the EU is coping with the lingering effect of the financial crisis of 2008, which exposed the birth defects of the euro bloc (i.e., its structure and composition) that currently appear incurable. The wave of asylum seekers and immigrants that flooded the EU (2015) has developed into a systemic crisis whose effects will be felt on the Continent for a long time to come. One of the byproducts of the crises is the growing influence of the populist parties that are challenging the existing European liberal order. Alongside the internal European challenges, the EU is dealing with a no less problematic international reality. The Ukrainian crisis, which led to a crisis with Russia, and the uncertainty following the election of Trump as to the future of the American commitment to European security and the transatlantic alliance have led to a series of moves in the direction of defense cooperation between EU members as a step on the long road to a defense union. The question is whether the EU members will exploit the opportunity and take the necessary decisions, or whether they will continue to stagnate. The lack of consensus with regard to the future of the EU is one of the main stumbling blocks to effective crisis management. The election of Macron as France’s president and his determination to promote reform in the EU is a refreshing change, but to this end he will need to coordinate with Germany, which is liable to delay the reforms that Macron seeks to hasten. French-German coordination was and remains an essential condition for implementing reforms in the EU. It appears that the EU does not have the strength on its own to address the causes of instability, and therefore marking time is the only current viable option. Israel should have an interest in the continued existence of the EU, as well as the transatlantic partnership.