ASSESSMENTS

How Nationalism Undermines the European Union

May 29, 2015 | 09:30 GMT

The European Union flag flying in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.
The EU flag and flags of other EU member states flying in front of the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France.

(PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP/Getty Images)

Forecast

  • The loss of economic prosperity has hurt European integration efforts. Member states will now push to devolve power from the European Union to the national level.
  • Nationalist and anti-establishment parties in member states will undermine fundamental EU policy.
  • EU institutions will be able to manage this trend in the short term, but the economy will force Brussels to reshape the European Union.
  • Over time, nationalism will trump European integration and governments will repatriate power for the first time in EU history, leading to the collapse of the union.

The longer Brussels waits, the harder it will be to convince some member states to engage in integration projects as the prospect of prosperity fades. In the meantime, the temptation of nationalism will influence member states to confront Brussels and repatriate power to their capitals, ultimately meaning the death of the European Union....

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