Europe’s trance of unreality

Posted by Matt in June 24th, 2008

The old continent could once offer itself as the model for a new world. No longer: the EU’s universalism is crashing against rising global states (China, India) and forces (religion, nationalism). The response to Ireland’s referendum is a foretaste of serious political crisis to come, says Ivan Krastev.

There is something unreal and profoundly disturbing about the latest crisis in the European Union. In theory the results of the Irish referendum held on 12 June are a fatal blow to the Lisbon treaty and the prospects of reforming the European Union. In theory the only logical outcome of the referendum should be either a Europe of “two speeds” or a paralyzed Europe. In reality, however, nobody believes that the Irish vote will bury the Lisbon treaty. The only genuine question is when the Irish will be forced to vote “yes” after they were so unreasonable as to vote “no.”

Map for Brussels, Belgium

[Countries link to CIA Factbook. States link to Wikipedia.]

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