Enhancing solidarity among Europeans: Toward a political reappraisal of the EU and its citizenship

ABSTRACT

Related Articles In recent years, the EU's ability to mobilize European citizens in its favor and counteract such phenomena as nationalism, populism, and “sovereignism” has significantly decreased. Consequently, the suggestion has been made that the EU's social dimension should be enhanced and its citizenship be made more salient in that regard. Such a suggestion has become even more topical after the COVID‐19 outbreak and the strain it has placed on the health‐care systems and economies of EU member states. Starting from a debate which addresses that suggestion, in this article I argue that, before attempting to enhance its social dimension, the EU should first try to strengthen its still weak political foundations in order to cope with its predicament. The article also shows that this move would be consistent with the rationale behind the European integration process, where economic issues were originally regarded as only means to achieve an ever‐closer political union.Barrault‐Stella, Lorenzo, and Thomas Douniès. 2021. “Introduction to the Special Issue Citizenship as a Tool of Government in Europe.” Politics & Policy 49(4) 824–41. https//doi.org/10.1111/polp.12423.Ewert, Benjamin. 2021. “Citizenship as a Form of Anticipatory Obedience? Implications of Preventive Health Policy in Germany.” Politics & Policy 49(4) 891–912. https//doi.org/10.1111/polp.12421.McBeth, Mark K., Donna L. Lybecker, and Kacee A. Garner. 2010. “The Story of Good Citizenship Framing Public Policy in the Context of Duty‐Based versus Engaged Citizenship.” Politics & Policy 38(1) 1–23. https//doi.org/10.1111/j.1747‐1346.2009.00226.x. (English) [ FROM AUTHOR] Mejorar la solidaridad entre los europeos hacia una reevaluación política de la UE y su ciudadanía En los últimos años, la capacidad de la UE para movilizar a los ciudadanos europeos a su favor y contrarrestar fenómenos como el nacionalismo, el populismo y el “soberanismo” ha disminuido significativamente. En consecuencia, se ha sugerido que se mejore la dimensión social de la UE y que su ciudadanía se haga más prominente en ese sentido. Tal sugerencia se ha vuelto aún más actual después del brote de COVID‐19 y la presión que ha ejercido sobre los sistemas de salud y las economías de los estados miembros de la UE. Partiendo de un debate que aborda esa sugerencia, en este artículo sostengo que antes de intentar mejorar su dimensión social, la UE primero debería tratar de fortalecer sus bases políticas aún débiles para hacer frente a su predicamento. El artículo también muestra que esta medida sería coherente con la lógica detrás del proceso de integración europea, donde los asuntos económicos se consideraron originalmente como el único medio para lograr una unión política cada vez más estrecha. (Spanish) [ FROM AUTHOR] 加强欧洲人之间的团结对欧盟及其公民身份进行政治重估 近年来，欧盟在动员欧洲公民的支持，并抵制民族主义、民粹主义和“主权主义”等现象方面的能力明显下降。因此，有人建议加强欧盟的社会维度，并在这方面使其公民身份更加突出。在新冠疫情爆发及其对欧盟成员国的医疗保健系统和经济造成压力之后，这样的建议变得更加热门。以针对该建议的辩论为出发点，我论证认为，在试图增强其社会维度之前，欧盟应首先尝试加强其仍然薄弱的政治基础，以应对其困境。本文还表明，这一举措与欧洲一体化进程背后的基本原理是一致的，在欧洲一体化进程中，经济问题最初被视为实现更紧密的政治联盟的唯一手段。 (Chinese) [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Politics & Policy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)