Europe: A Crisis of Representation

Because unemployment will remain at seriously high levels in most EU member countries for the foreseeable future, the gap between the rulers and the ruled will not narrow anytime soon. The position of the ruling elites is weakening, but the anti-establishment groups that seek to replace them are not strong enough to take over. Protest groups pervade Europe, but most lack the organizational integrity to become viable political actors. At this point, a key issue in Europe is whether its traditional institutions of representation will be able to capitalize on social discontent in the future.